A Wish
by AIwaysHungry
Summary: Like in the show OUAT, Henry looks for Emma, she meets him and later Regina.. Just that in this version, there's no Storybrooke and it's set in NY.
1. Chapter 1

**Information about the main characters:**

 _Regina Mills was twenty-four years old, when she worked as a department manager in a group of the fashion industry. She always wanted to become a chief executive officer (CEO) but ever since she saw how many of her female co workers got pregnant, the idea of having a child of her own grew; but sadly she couldn't get pregnant, due to her infertility._

 _Of course there were other ways and she knew she wasn't the only single mother, so she decided to adopt a baby boy. She named him Henry Daniel Mills. Henry because of her father and Daniel because of her first love, who unfortunately got killed.._

 _After four years, her boss finally recognized her work and talent and since he was getting old and trusted her a lot, he decided to leave her in charge of his company. She became, what she always dreamed of to become, a chief executive officer (CEO) in a group of the fashion industry._

 _Emma Swan gave birth to Henry, when she was eighteen years old. She felt too overwhelmed and since the father of the boy had vanished for an unknown reason, before he even knew that the blonde was pregnant; she decided to give the baby boy up for adoption. She never got to know her parents, since those gave her up for adoption as well.. She's always been a loner. Although the young woman had had a tough childhood, she got far in her life._

 _A few years later, after Henry's birth, she became a police officer of the NYPD._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The Meeting**

It was a stressful day for the chief executive officer. She had many meetings scheduled, so she texted her ten years old son, that she'd be late for dinner that day. " _Hey sweetheart, I'm sorry to tell you, that I can't make it to dinner on time.. But I allow you to order a pizza for today. Love you!_ " It wasn't the first time, that Regina had done this.

The boy was seated in the school bus, on his way home as his phone vibrated. He pursed his lips, already guessing what the message was about, when he read the word " _Mom_ " on his screen. A soft sigh escaped through his lips as he read the text message. "I knew it.." He mumbled quietly and as he moved his gaze up, the yellow vehicle stopped at his bus stop. The young student climbed out of it and walked home.

Once he approached the white mansion he lived in, he searched for his keys and unlocked the door, before he entered it.

He walked into his room and threw his backpack on his bed, then he searched for some money in the living room, where his mother usually left it, in case he ever needed it. "Great." The boy said ironically as he couldn't even find a one dollar bill in the small can. But luckily, he knew where his mother's safe was.

Henry walked upstairs and into his mother's walk-in closet, there he found some empty Jimmy Choo shoe boxes, next to the expensive high heels of the CEO. Behind those boxes was a small door; Regina's safe. "Alright.. 30-10-01" They boy took a deep breath, before a slender finger pushed the right numbers.

He knew the code number, ever since he caught his mother placing some money into the safe, one day. But back then, Regina didn't really notice, that her son saw the right combination of the numbers. The boy never dared to open his mother's safe, until that day.

"Easy!" A bright smile curled up his lips, but soon it turned into a confused one, as he saw a big yellow envelope inside the safe. "What's that?" As any other child, Henry was very curious and so he reached for it and decided to open it.

Sheets of papers. But not just any sheets of papers.. Adoption documents. "Adoption?" Henry said with a confused tone in his voice. "What is this?" He continued reading and stopped, once he read his name. "I-I knew it." The brown haired boy furrowed his eyebrows and searched for the name of his birth mother.

"Emma Swan" He kept searching for more details of her, such like age and the place where she lived. "Hmm.. she must be 28.. and perhaps she still lives on the 45 A 4th Street, New York."

The boy put the documents back into the yellow envelope and placed it back into the safe. He took a one-hundred dollar bill and closed the small door, before he placed everything back like he found it.

Then he ran into his room and emptied his backpack onto his bed, to put the money into his wallet and to pack some chocolate bars he had bought earlier, from the vending machine at school.

He quickly switched his computer on, to search for the street on Google Maps. Once the results showed up, he printed them and he grabbed his backpack, before he rushed down the stairs. The smart boy walked out of the mansion and towards the station.

There he asked where to find that street; and a man who worked there, told him that it wasn't that far away. "It's just a few blocks away. You turn to your right and then you walk down the street, until you see a big blue building across the street, then you turn to your left and there you're on the 4th Street." The man explained.

"Alright, thank you!" The boy smiled gently at him and made his way to his biological mother's house.

* * *

Meanwhile, Emma finished her shift at the NYPD and since it was her 28th birthday, she went to the bakery and bought herself a buttercream covered cupcake and a small blue star shaped candle. Then she drove home and let a deep sigh out as a soft smile curved up her pink lips. She placed the white box, in which the cupcake was in, onto the dining table. Carefully, she picked the small cake and set it onto the plate that was on the table.

As Henry was walking down the street, chocolate brown eyes searched for the big blue building, as the man at the station said. "There it is!" He said with a bright smile on his face. The excitement in him, was only growing more and more. His eyes spotted a street sign, saying " _4th Street_ ", showing towards the left side. His smile widened more into a grin and he searched for the number " _45 A_ ".

A few meters away, he finally found the building he was looking for. Now he hoped to find the person he was looking for, in it.

He looked for the name " _Emma Swan_ " on the mailboxes that were outside the door.

"There! Apartment 21. She still lives here!" Henry chuckled softly and tried to push the door open. To his luck, the door was open and he got in.

The blonde lit up the candle, with a matchstick and gently leaned over the table, resting her crossed arms onto the table. She closed her eyes tightly and made a wish. Once she wished for what she wanted, she blew the candle off and in that instant, her doorbell ringed. Her eyes widened and she arched her eyebrows, at the unexpected visit.

* * *

While Henry was meeting his biological mother, his adoptive mother was on her way home. Her last customers had cancelled their meetings and so she had the rest of the day, free. She pulled over on her parking place and climbed out of her blue Mercedes. Then she locked her car and rummaged in her purse, searching for her keys.

As she entered her white mansion, she called for her son. "Henry, dear. I'm home!" She furrowed her eyebrows as she heard no reply, after good five minutes. "Henry?" The worried mother walked up the stairs and into her son's bedroom, but she just found a mess of books on his bed.

"Henry!" The tone in her voice sounded between concerned and serious. "Henry Daniel Mills!" She shouted around, but her son was nowhere to be found. Regina decided to call him, not once, not twice, but more than four times, and unfortunately he never picked up, since his phone battery had died.

Mills was very concerned. So concerned about her son, that she decided to call 911, to report that her son was missing.

* * *

The boy's heart raced wildly as he stood in front of the door, of Swan's apartment. He was already preparing himself for a rejection.

The young woman, who was still in her uniform, opened the door. Her eyes searched for someone, but she couldn't see anyone, until she glanced down.

"Oh wow.. Are you Emma Swan?" The smart little guy had a surprised expression on his face, as he saw the officer open the door.

"Yeah. How may I help you?" Em furrowed her eyebrows in slight confusion.

"I'm Henry and I'm your son." The boy blurted out the reason why he was there and quickly ran into the apartment, through the slot between the young woman and the door-  
frame.

"Wow, hey, Hey! Kid! Who are you?!" Emma watched him run into her apartment. She closed the door and followed him into the kitchen. "Didn't your parents teach you not to storm into other people's home?" She added with a slight annoyed tone in her voice.

"10 years ago. Did you give up a baby for adoption?" The boy asked, but as he didn't get an answer, but just a stunned facial expression, he continued talking. "That was me."

"G-give me a minute." The blonde stuttered and locked herself into the bathroom. She could not believe what was happening. How did he even find her? Emma wondered. Tears were forming in her eyes, as memories of what had happened 10 years ago, came into her mind and she felt as if she was about to break down, but she couldn't show any sign of weakness yet.

Henry sighed softly and waited for his birth mother to come out of the bathroom.

A few seconds later, after the blonde calmed herself down, she walked out of the bathroom. "Kid, I'm gonna take you to the police department. C'mon."

"What? Y-you can't do that." The boy shook his head and walked a few steps closer to her.

"Of course I can, I'm an officer." Emma smirked weakly.

The smart boy thought of something, to make her change her mind. "Fine. Do that. Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me."

"-And they're gonna believe you because I'm your mother.." Em sighed deeply and shook her head in disbelief. "You wouldn't do that."

"Watch me." Henry smirked at the blonde.

"Alright, but let me just get you home, kid. It's getting late and I bet your parents might be worried sick about you!" The officer said as she motioned to him, to walk out of her apartment.

"I just have a mother and she's evil.." The boy let a deep sigh out as he furrowed his eyebrows and obeyed her.

"/Evil/? Really?" The blonde closed the door behind herself as she walked out after him. "Don't you think that's a little exaggerated?" She added and led the way, out of the building and towards her car.

"No.." Henry sighed once again. "She really is. She doesn't love me, she only pretends to." He lowered his gaze to the floor.

Emma stopped in front of him and kneeled down to his height, giving him gentle squeezes on his upper arm as she talked to him. "Kid.." She looked him in the eyes. "I'm sure that's not true."

"Whatever." He shrugged nonchalantly and walked around her, on his way out of the building.

The blonde got back up and continued leading the way. She asked him for his address as soon as they were seated in her car.

* * *

A few minutes later, after Regina called 911 and told them that her son had ran away, an officer showed up. Both were standing on the CEO's porch as they talked.

"M'am', don't worry. We'll find him. He might be somewhere around here." Officer Humbert soothed the worried mother.

In that moment, Emma showed up in her yellow Volkswagen. She parked her vehicle next to the sidewalk and climbed out of her car, followed by the boy.

The short haired brunette, dropped her jaw as she saw her son, climbing out of that car. "Henry?!.." She shouted and ran towards him, with open arms, to welcome her child back home.

The officer in the background recognized the blonde and with a soft nod of his head, he thanked her for finding the boy.

"Henry! Are you okay? Where have you been?! What happened?" The adoptive mother asked while she hugged her son tightly.

"I found my /real/ mom." The boy pulled back from the hug and ran inside the mansion.

"Y-you're Henry's birth /mother/?" The brunette blinked her eyes quickly, not quite believing that Henry did find his biological mother.

"Hi." The blonde nervously brushed her tongue over her lower lip, to moisten it and swallowed thickly but offered the other, a bright but gentle smile.

"I'll just check on the lad, make sure he's alright." Officer Humbert said, as he walked into the mansion.

None of the women responded to him, since they were just standing there, staring at each other. A few milliseconds of silence passed until one of them, the older one, broke the awkward silence.

"How do you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" The shocked facial expression of Regina, turned into a warm and gentle one.

"Got anything stronger?" Emma joked as she shrugged softly but accepted the offer and both walked into the mansion.

Once both were inside the mansion, they introduced themselves and then Regina walked right into the kitchen, while Emma waited in the lobby. The brunette grabbed two whiskey glasses and carried them to her mini bar, which was placed in her lobby.

"How did he find out where I live?" Em asked while she placed her hands into her posterior pants pockets and watched the adoptive mother of Henry, put some ice cubes into each glass.

"He probably found the papers.. I adopted him when he was only 3 weeks old. I was told, the birth mother didn't want to have any contact, but they must have written your data on the documents, anyway.." Regina shrugged softly as she poured some apple cider, into each glass.

"Right.." Emma nodded her head slowly as she pursed her lips.

"And the father? Do I need to worry about him?" The brunette raised an eyebrow, in curiosity.

"Nope. He doesn't even know about the kid." Emma shook her head and leaned against the wall.

"Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Swan?" She turned around and walked towards her, with a soft side smirk on her face, as she handed the officer, her glass.

"Absolutely not." The blonde shook her head again and raised her eyebrows lightly as she reached for her glass.

Officer Humbert walked down the stairs, with a reassuring smile upon his lips. "Miss Mills, you can relax, other than being a tired little boy, he's fine."

"Thank you, officer." Regina nodded her head once in courtesy and offered him a gentle smile.

"I got this." Emma said to the man and smiled at him as well, just as gentle.

The male officer nodded his head gently and walked out of the mansion, on his way back to the police department.

Regina gestured to the blonde, to follow her towards her workroom. "I'm sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don't know what's got into him."

The blonde pushed herself away from the wall and followed her. "Kid's having a rough time, happens." She said and took a seat on the vintage sofa, once she entered the workroom.

"You have to understand, ever since I became a chief executive officer, balancing things has been tricky." The brunette closed the door and took a seat on the armchair, across from the blonde. "As I see, you're a police officer.."

"Uh, yeah, that I am." Emma chuckled gently and placed her glass on the coffee table, after having sipped the alcoholic beverage.

"Imagine having another job on top of it." She smirked at her opposite. "I've been a single mother. So, I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?" Regina tilted her head slightly to the side and forced a soft smile as she asked the blonde for her opinion.

"I'm-sure he's just saying that, because he's a kid. You know.. kids always exaggerate things.." Em took another sip of her drink.

"Yeah.. sure.." Regina arched her eyebrows for a few seconds as she narrowed her eyes at the blonde.

"You know what. It's none of my business. He's your kid. And I really should be heading back." The blonde smiled gently and shrugged, before she took another gulp of the best cider she had ever tasted.

"Of course!" Regina straightened her skirt as she stood up to open the door, motioning for the blonde to go home. She obviously felt threatened by the blonde.

Emma widened her eyes as she was about to swallow the cider, not expecting that Regina would say goodbye that fast. She set her glass onto the coffee table and stood up, to walk out of the mayor's workroom.

The brunette walked the officer to the main door. "Goodbye, Miss Swan." She offered her a soft smile.

"Bye." The blonde said with a soft tone in her voice. She walked back to her yellow VW and climbed in.

Henry was standing at the window of his room, watching his birth mother go back to her apartment.

Emma felt watched and so she turned around and saw how the boy backed away of the window and turned off the light. The blonde just sighed deeply and started the engine. Finally driving off, on her way back to her apartment. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Misunderstandings**

The morning after, Henry had ran away again. Regina didn't hesitate to call 911 this time and casually, the blonde picked up the call.

"NYPD, Officer Swan speaking, how may I help you?" Emma said with a rather tired tone in her voice. She clearly wasn't a morning person and besides this, she didn't have a good night. Her mind has been with her son and that woman, ever since she met them.

"Hello, I need help.. My son has ran away. Again.. He wasn't in his room this morning." And to the officer's surprise, it was Regina on the phone. The brunette's mind was blinded by the thoughts of several places where her son could be, that she didn't even pay attention to the name of the officer, who was on the other side of the phone.

"Regina?" But the blonde recognized the voice right away. How could anyone forget that soft but also slight husky voice of the CEO?

And it was then, when Regina recognized Emma's voice. The brunette stopped pacing around in circles and just frowned. "Swan? Swan! Do you know where he is?!" She was glad that the birth mother of her son had picked up the call. Her voice sounded between serious and concerned.

"Eh, honey, I haven't seen him, since I dropped him in your house.. maybe he's at a friend's?" Em said, without even noticing how she just had called the other woman.

"He /doesn't/ really have any. He's kind of a loner." The former department manager shook her head in concern as she rubbed her temple.

"Hmm.. every kid has friends.." The blonde tilted her head in thought as she furrowed her eyebrows lightly. Her son reminded her to herself, a lot. "You checked his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them."

"And you know this, /how/?" The CEO placed her free hand onto her hip and quirked an eyebrow, totally intrigued.

"Finding people is a part of my job, dear." Emma rolled her eyes as she noticed the change in the older woman's voice. "Anyway, I'll be at your place in a few minutes." And with that, the officer grabbed her jacket and keys and walked towards her patrol car, to drive over to the white mansion.

About eight minutes later, the younger woman arrived to her destination. Regina was already waiting with crossed arms, outside on her porch. Her eyebrows furrowed in concern as she frowned.

Emma climbed out of the patrol car and walked towards the worried mother. "Hey." She said with a soft tone in her voice and a small smile showed up on her face.

"I thought he might be with you.." Regina let a sigh escape through her crimson red lips as she shook her head. Walking into her mansion, first, before holding the door open for the officer.

"Nope." The blonde gave her a short reply with a single shake of her head as she entered the other's home.

"He's gone. His backpack and school stuff are still in his room.. I don't know where he could've ran away.." The CEO closed the door, once the other woman walked in. Then she turned around, just to face her.

"Let me check his computer." Emma said as she placed her hands into her posterior pants pockets.

"Of course." Regina nodded her head once, in affirmation, before she led the way towards her son's bedroom.

Hazel eyes looked around as the blonde walked upstairs, right behind the brunette. Framed pictures, that hung at the walls, caught Em's attention. Pictures of Henry from when he was a baby boy, to when he was a toddler. Moments she never shared with him. A painful lump formed in her throat at the thought. But she just gulped and kept walking up the stairs.

Emma's eyebrows arched in surprise, as she saw how clean the room of the boy looked. Every children's room she had seen so far, was always messy. Socks or piece of clothes were always scattered on the floor. But Henry was different, he seemed to be a very orderly boy and that thanks to his adoptive mother.

The CEO watched the reactions of the blonde and with a soft clearing of her throat, she motioned to her, to switch on the computer.

Em switched on the computer. In those few seconds, that the computer needed to start itself, an awkward silence settled between the two women. Stares and quiet breathing sounds.

A soft smirk appeared on the officer's lips, once the device was finally on. She hacked herself into the boy's account and searched for emails in his inbox. "Smart kid." She gasped. "Cleared his inbox. I'm smart too, a little hard disk recovery utility, I like to use." The officer said, but mostly to herself. "Ha! Here's an email. A reply from a Mary Margaret Blanchard." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she glanced at the brunette, with a curious expression on her face. "Who's Mary Margaret Blanchard?"

Regina, who was standing about less than a meter away from the blonde, watching Emma's every move, with her crossed arms, furrowed her eyebrows as well. "Henry's teacher." She wondered why her son had written to her. "What's the email about?" The tone in her voice, very intrigued.

"He just wrote an excuse to her, about him staying at home today and she replied to it; saying that she hopes he gets well soon." Emma turned her head towards Regina and looked into her eyes as she spoke. "I suggest, we go find her, maybe she knows something."

With a deep inhale and a soft nod of her head, Regina agreed. "Alright, let me just get my coat." She said and walked into her closet, to grab her expensive black coat. Regina was a classy woman, who always liked to look good in any occasion. Important for a CEO in a group of the fashion industry.

Once the older woman put on her coat, she followed the blonde, out of her mansion and towards the patrol car.

As they were seated in the vehicle, Regina told the officer, the directions towards the elementary school of Henry. The blonde turned on the engine and drove off.

Regina couldn't help but to side glance at the blonde, every once in a while. She felt a strange tension between her and herself.

Of course Emma felt watched, but she couldn't allow herself to say something, because she knew, if she did, something inappropriate would come out of her mouth. She just blushed a little and glanced back at the other woman, just for a second. But that second was enough, to see the brunette startle lightly and immediately avert her gaze, as she got caught.

Soon they arrived to Henry's elementary school; the students had their break. After the two climbed out of the patrol car, they walked straight to Henry's classroom and there, they found Miss Blanchard.

"Miss Mills, how can I help you?" The young black haired woman said with a rather surprised tone in her voice as she furrowed her eyebrows lightly in confusion, as she saw the refined woman approach her.

"Where is my son?!" Regina asked right away, a serious tone was to be heard in her voice.

"Henry. I assumed he was home, sick, with you." Mary Margaret shrugged softly, not really knowing where the boy was.

"You think I'd be here, if he was?!" She walked closer to the teacher, followed by the officer.

"I'm sorry, d-did something happen?" The teacher asked with raised eyebrows as her facial expression turned into a stunned one, as she saw the officer.

"The kid has run away.." Emma said as she rested her hands onto her waist. "You have no idea where he might be, do you?"

Miss Blanchard shook her head as she lowered her gaze and mumbled. "I-I shouldn't have given him that book.."

"A book? What kind of book? What are you talking about?" Regina crossed her arms and her eyebrows furrowed even more.

"Just some old stories I gave him. As you well know, Henry is a special boy. So smart. So creative; and as you might be aware /lonely/. He needed it." Mary Margaret said with a small and innocent smile.

"This is a waste of time." And with a huff, Regina strutted out of the classroom. Accidentally hitting the officer, with her shoulder, on her way out. She couldn't stay calm and needed some fresh air.

Emma just closed her eyes tightly and pursed her lips, as the other woman hit her shoulder, accidentally. She exhaled softly through her pale lips, before she asked the teacher a few questions. "What is the book about and how is it supposed to help?"

"Oh, it's just about a boy and his adventures." Mary Margaret said with a small shrug of her shoulders. "And how's it supposed to help, you ask?" She grinned softly. "Well, what do you think stories are for?" The short haired woman asked her, but she replied to her own question, before the other could even let a word out. "They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See, Henry hasn't had the easiest life.." She made her way out of the classroom, gesturing to the officer, to follow her.

"Yeah, she's kind of a strict and very busy lady." Emma agreed to the raven-black haired woman and walked with her, out of the classroom.

"You know, it's more than her. He's like any adopted child.-" Mary Margaret shook her head and talked with a concerned tone in her voice. "-He wrestles with that most basic question: 'Why would anyone give me away.' ..."

And that was it. Emma just stopped walking down the hall and let a gasp escape through her pale lips, as she heard the teacher's statement. Those words went right into her weak spot. She knew that feeling so well. But that reaction didn't only happen because she knew how it was to be like Henry, but because the guilt in her was growing. The guilt of her, having given her son such a troubled life.

"Are you okay?" Miss Blanchard asked concerned as she placed a hand onto the blonde's upper arm, searching her gaze.

"Yeah-Yeah, nevermind." Swan snapped out of that moment and nodded her head a few times; regaining her composure.

"Look, I gave the book to him, because I want Henry to have, the most important thing anyone can have: Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending, is a very powerful thing." Mary Margaret pulled her arm back, gently as she explained and looked right into hazel eyes.

"You know where he might be, don't you?" Emma looked back into her hazel green eyes.

The teacher inhaled through her nose, softly, before she nodded her head once. "You might want to check the playground, nearby his house." She offered the officer, a weak smile.

"Thanks." The blonde pursed her lips softly into a weak smile, before she walked out of the building.

The older woman was outside, frowning in concern and pacing around, nervously. Fighting with her thoughts as she blamed herself for her son's behavior.

Emma furrowed her eyebrows softly at the sight. Seeing Regina that worried about her son, kind of warmed up the blonde's heart. In fact, the grumpy lady did really care about him and one could clearly see that she was so afraid to lose him. Em swallowed thickly, before she called the CEO's name as she walked fastly to her, almost running. "Regina!"

The brunette startled and turned around to look at Em. Her eyes sparkled with hope. Hope that Emma's knowledge about their son's absence had increased. But her eyebrows were furrowed; waiting for the other to tell the news, if there were any.

"I might know where our son is, c'mon." The blonde said and walked towards the police car.

The brunette didn't comment anything, to the way Emma referred as, to Henry, for now. She just followed the officer and got into the car as well, then both drove over to the playground.

And once again, the awkward silence between them settled throughout the few minutes drive. Just a few glances that they exchanged, before they arrived to the playground. Emma pulled over at the sidewalk and both climbed out of the vehicle.

Regina was the first one to approach the castle in the playground, where Henry was seated in. "Henry!" She quickened her pace, almost running over to him. "Henry, come down! Why did you scare me again?" The older woman stopped right in front of the slide, her eyes looking up to the open window of the castle, where she could spot him.

But the boy remained quiet, refusing to come down. He felt betrayed by her and just wanted to isolate himself. All this confusion just overwhelmed him.

Emma finally stood about meter behind the brunette. Shouting up to the boy as she placed her hands into her posterior pants pockets; an old habit of hers. "Kid, your mom was super worried about you, come down." The tone in her voice, clearly more calmed than Regina's.

"She's not my mom." Henry furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms, showing his back to the window.

Tears streamed down the worried mother's cheeks, as she backed away slowly. Regina was actually not a person who had no problems with showing their feelings. Whenever she needed a good cry, she always locked herself somewhere and isolated herself from anyone except her son. But this time, she couldn't hold back her tears, like she managed to. The brunette turned around and rubbed her temples. She felt helpless and also too overwhelmed with the situation. Who was to blame?

Emma watched Regina's reactions and let a deep sigh out. Oh how she felt the need to step closer and wrap her arms protectively around the miserable woman, just to reassure her a little. But she didn't have the courage to do so.. Seeing her like that, hurt her as well. "Kid.."

"I will stay in here, for as long as she's still there." The boy shouted with a furious tone in his voice, without even looking at them.

"/Fine/." Regina shouted back. She gulped the thick lump in her throat and wiped her tears away, quickly, before she turned around and continued speaking. "Fine, I'll go." Once the brunette gained back, her composure, she walked back to her mansion, without any word or glance to the blonde.

As soon as the chief executive officer was gone, Henry turned around and looked out of the window. "I know why you gave me away.." A faint smile tugged from the corner of his lips. "You wanted to give me my best chance." He added.

Emma couldn't get any words out. Just a soft gasp in shock escaped through her pale lips as she glanced away. She definitely didn't expect such a statement from her son. "How do you know that?" Em asked with a slight confused tone in her voice, but still serious.

The smart boy just shrugged softly and his faint smile turned into a soft one. "I just do.."

"Well.. you're right. I wanted you to have your best chance, because it wouldn't have been with me.." She felt how the tears were forming in her eyes and how her voice was becoming trembly and weaker, so she suggested to bring the boy back home. "Now c'mon let's go."

The boy finally jumped down of the castle and stood a meter away from the blonde. "Please, don't take me back there.." He begged.

"I have to get you back to your mom." Emma said with a trembling voice. She was still fighting against her tears and the painful lump in her throat.

"You don't know what it's like with her, my life /sucks/." The boy broke in tears in front of her, as he spoke his words with a furious tone in his voice.

And that sentence was the shutter release, for Emma to cry.

"Oh, you know what /sucking/ is?! Being left, abandoned, on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in a foster system and had a family until I was /three/ and then they had their own kids and they sent me back." She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, to calm down herself as she saw the boy's stunned but somehow confused expression on his face.

Then she wiped away her tears, before walked closer to Hen and bent down to the boy's height and looked him in the eyes. "Look, your mom is trying her /best/. I know it's hard and I know you think, sometimes she doesn't love you. But at least she /wants/ you. She cares about you, kid." She got back up and made her way out of the playground. "C'mon, Henry." Em waved with her hand, gesturing to him, to follow her.

The boy obeyed and followed her, speeding his pace, just to hold the blonde's hand.

Emma startled lightly at the unexpected action of the boy, but she just smiled softly and walked him to her car. As soon as both were seated in the patrol car, she started the engine and drove off to the mansion.

About two minutes later, both arrived to the mansion. Regina placed the tissue she used to wipe away her tears, into her blazer pocket, when she opened the door. Trying her best at keeping a straight face, though her bloodshot eyes said something else.

Henry just ran inside, without saying a 'goodbye' to Emma, nor a 'hello' to his adoptive mother.

Regina watched her son storm into the house, before she looked back at the blonde who was standing outside, at her porch. "Thank you." She slowly walked to her porch.

"No problem." Emma said with a soft tone in her voice.

"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you." Regina offered the officer a gentle smile as she placed her hands into her jacket pockets and stopped right in front of her.

Emma laughed gently and shrugged softly. "You know it seems kind of crazy. Yesterday was my birthday. And-when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. That I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up..-"

Regina scuffed softly as she interrupted her. "I hope there's no misunderstanding here."

"I'm sorry?" Em grinned confused. What's that about? She wondered.

"Don't mistake all of this as an invitation back into his life." Regina placed both of her hands on her waist.

"Oh.." And again, Emma was speechless. Her jaw dropped at Regina's statement.

"Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade, while you have been-" Regina said with a very serious tone in her voice as she shrugged. "-well; who knows what you've been doing... I've changed /every/ diaper, soothed /every/ fever, endured /every/ tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is /my/ son."

"I was not-" Em wanted to explain that she didn't have the intention of taking Henry away from her, but again, she got interrupted by the brunette.

"No, you don't get to speak. /You/ don't get to do /anything/." She walked down of her porch and closer to her opposite. "You gave up that right when you tossed him away." Coffee brown eyes looked right into hazel eyes as she explained. "Goodbye, Miss Swan." Regina turned her heels and walked back into her mansion.

But before she entered, Em asked her with a slight shaking voice. "Do you love him?"

"/Excuse me/?" Regina raised her eyebrows in confusion but also surprised about the question, then she turned around and glared at the woman who was already scowling at her.

"/Henry/. Do you love him?" The blonde asked with trembling lips and balled hands, trying to hold back her anger.

"Of course I love him." The adoptive mother of the boy said with a soft and low tone in her voice, before she finally strutted into her mansion.

Emma watched her slam the door, before she walked back into the patrol car and drove off to the police department. Again, her thoughts were confusing her. Why was Regina like that to her? Was she just trying not to lose her son or was there more to this?.. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Bonding Time**

Once Regina slammed the white main door of her mansion, she leaned against it and thought about her actions towards the birth mother of Henry. Was she too harsh to Emma? A soft sigh escaped through her crimson lips, before she pressed the palm of her hands against the cold door and pushed herself away from it, to walk up the stairs and into her son's room.

The boy was laying on is bed, showing his back to the door of his room. He let Emma's words process in his head. _..your mom is trying her /best/. I know it's hard and I know you think, sometimes she doesn't love you. But at least she /wants/ you. She cares about you, kid._ The gentle knocking on the wooden door of his room, made him snap out of his thoughts.

Regina entered her son's room, even though she didn't hear a 'come in'. Her eyebrows knitted together, when she saw her son like that. "Henry.." She said and stood by the door.

The boy said nothing. He just laid there, showing her his back and watching the grey clouds that appeared outside his window.

"Where did you find these papers?" The CEO asked, although she knew exactly where her son had found them.

"When were you going to tell me about this?" Henry asked right away, but still he showed her his back and the tone in his voice was serious and upset.

"I-..." Regina tried to find the right words. "I was waiting for you to get older.." Her gaze lowered as she shook her head slightly. Totally feeling like she was just failing. "This is not easy.." She added quietly.

"Who are you telling that.." The little boy agreed. The tone in his voice became lower.

His adoptive mother walked towards him, to take a seat on the free spot behind him, on his bed. Regina rubbed his upper arm affectionately. "Sweetheart.. I /do/ love you." She said with the softest tone in her voice as she leaned closer to him, to press a fond kiss on his temple.

The confused boy furrowed his eyebrows and pouted slightly in disbelief. "Yeah.. I can see that. You barely made it to one of my auditions at school.. We don't spend time together, like we used to.. Your work is always before me." He started arguing. "Besides all this, you still send me to therapy once a week, because you think I'm not a normal boy, just because I don't have friends and because I spend my time reading books.." Tears rolled down the boy's face as his voice became shaky.

Regina gasped softly. Surprised by her son's thoughts. "Henry, I never said that.."

"Your actions are enough.. There are no words needed." He quickly responded before he curled up into his blankets. A sign of insecurity.

The strong woman couldn't be in that room any longer and so she walked out of it and to her own. She needed someone to talk to and her first thought was calling Emma, but after all she had said to her, not even an hour ago, she couldn't find the courage, to ask her for help.

Emma was at her office; thinking about what had happened earlier and let the words that the threatened woman had said to her, roam in her head. "That kid isn't really happy with her.." She mumbled quietly, letting a deep sigh escape through her pale lips. But there wasn't a thing she could do, was there?..

* * *

Almost a week passed, since the officer and the chief executive officer had seen each other the last time. Perhaps things were more calmed now?..

Emma had free the whole weekend. It was 10 AM as the blonde woke up on a cloudy and cold Saturday. She decided to go to the supermarket, to do her weekly grocery shopping, once she got ready.

Regina also went grocery shopping with her son, that day. As they were walking out of the supermarket, they walked into the familiar officer.

"Emma!" Henry said with a bright smile on his face as he stopped right in front of her.

The officer offered him a soft smile and glanced at the brunette, who was standing right besides him.

Regina rolled her eyes behind the paper bags and gestured to her son, to keep walking.

"Do you need help?" Emma asked the annoyed brunette as she stepped a little closer, already holding her hands out, slightly.

"I'm fine, thanks." Regina said with a serious tone in her voice. "Henry, come on, we got to keep going." She said to her son as she averted her eyes from the blonde.

"But-.." Henry complained. He wanted to stay a little longer, just to talk to his birth mother.

"Go.." Em smiled softly and as she patted his upper arm gently, she secretly shoved her contact card with her private phone number that she had written on it and always carried with her, in case she ever met the kid again; into the chest pocket of his jacket and winked at him.

The boy grinned at her, as soon as he noticed what the blonde just did.

To their luck, the CEO was too focused onto not dropping the full paper bags on the floor, that she did not see what just happened.

* * *

As mother and son arrived back home, Henry ran into his room and immediately contacted his birth mother, while his other mother walked into the kitchen and placed the groceries where they belong. " _Hey Emma! :-) It's me, Henry. How are you? I've missed you.._ " With a bright smile upon his lips, he sent the message.

Emma was carrying the paper bags into her apartment, as her phone vibrated. Once she opened the door of her apartment, she set the bags onto her table in the dining room and checked her phone. ' _New message from unknown number_ ' was the sentence that she read on her screen, before she unlocked her phone and finally read the text. With a warm smile, she texted back. " _Hey kid! I'm good, how about you? How are things with your mom? I've missed you too!_ "

" _Things are still the same.. She's always too busy with work.._ " The boy, who was waiting impatiently for a reply, answered right away.

" _Kid.. You know that doesn't mean you are any less important._ " Emma replied while she pulled the groceries out of the bag and placed them where they belong.

" _Whatever.. Would you like to meet today for some ice cream? :-)_ " He asked, hoping she'd say yes.

" _What about your mom?_ " Em sent, without really thinking about the ambiguousness in her question.

The shocked boy raised his eyebrows as he read the message. " _You want her to come with us?_ "

Emma widened her eyes at her son's reply. Her cheeks turning into a dark shade of pink at the thought of the refined lady. " _No! No.. I mean.. what excuse will you tell her?_ " With a sheepish chuckle and a soft shake of her head, she sent the message.

" _Hmm.. I have quite a few excuses, one of them will do! ;-)_ " The smart boy responded as he already thought about the excuse he was going to use later.

" _Okay then! Let's meet at 2 PM at the playground. ;-)_ " Em sent the message and continued unpacking the grocery bags.

* * *

After the Mills' had dinner, the young boy carried his plate into the kitchen, where his mother was placing the dishes into the dishwasher. He looked at the clock that hung at the wall in the kitchen. It was 1:40 PM. His eyebrows raised. "Mom?" He turned around to offer her a soft smile. "Can I go to the playground?"

"Hmm.. fine, but please be back at 5 PM and be careful." Regina said as she closed the dishwasher.

"Yes!" Her son rushed up the stairs and into his room, with a bright smile on his face.

"And put on your scarf and coat, it's getting cold outside!" Regina added, shouting. Always that concerned mother..

* * *

Emma picked the clothes that she'd wear to her meeting with her son, right after she had showered. A white sweater, black jeans, black biker boots and of course, her red leather jacket. As soon as she was ready, she walked out of her apartment and towards her yellow bug. She climbed into it and drove over to the playground, where she'd meet her son.

The boy was already there, awaiting her with a huge smile on his face.

With a smile and a gentle wave of her hand, Em gestured to him, to get into her car.

Henry obeyed and climbed into the passenger's seat. Greeting Emma with a somehow difficult small hug, before he buckled up.

"What did you tell your mom?" The blonde said as she gently pulled back, to turn on the engine and drive off to an ice-cream parlor. The heat in her cheeks increased.

"I told her that I wanted to go to the playground and she told me to be at home at 5 PM." Henry explained with a soft chuckle.

Emma shook her head softly and joined his chuckle. Clever boy. She just hoped that the thought of going to the playground and check on the boy, wouldn't cross through Regina's mind.

Soon the two arrived to the ice-cream parlor. Henry held the door open for his mother and followed her inside.

"Thank you, little gentleman!" She couldn't help but to laugh gently.

The boy nodded his head once and took a seat at a booth, right next to the big window.

Em took a seat across from him and as she did, the waitress approached them with a gentle smile.

"Hello, what would you like to have?" She asked, eyeing both of them.

"I'd like to have a scoop of chocolate ice cream and the other one vanilla with some sprinkles and chocolate sauce, please!" Henry ordered and the waitress wrote it down onto her little notepad.

"I'll just have a scoop vanilla with some chocolate sauce on it." The blonde offered the other woman a small smile and as soon as the waitress walked back behind the counter, Em looked back at her son, with a soft grin on her face. "So, you really like sweets, don't you?"

"I do, but my mom doesn't let me eat much of it, nor any fast food or sodas.. She says it's too unhealthy for me." Henry pursed his lips softly and looked down onto the table.

"Ow.. Well, she is right, though.. I know all this stuff tastes good but it really is unhealthy.." The officer agreed to Regina's statement.

The hours passed and the two were having a great time bonding and getting to know each other. Emma decided to be honest with her son and so she told him about Neal; his father and about her life.

It was 4:30 PM. The blonde was the one to remind him that they had to go. "Kid, we should go, otherwise your mom is gonna kill me and then you and then me again." She joked around, before she pulled her wallet out and payed their order.

Henry laughed at Emma's joke. With a firm nod of his head, the boy followed the officer out of the parlor and towards the VW.

* * *

After good ten minutes, they approached the playground. The boy unbuckled himself and gave Emma a short but tight hug, before he climbed out of the vehicle. "Thank you for everything!" He said as he waved goodbye and made his way towards the white mansion he lived in.

Meanwhile, Regina was in her workroom, seated at her desk and working on a pile of paperwork. She was so focused on it, that she didn't even hear her son entering the mansion.

Henry walked straight upstairs and into his room. He took off his scarf and his coat and threw them onto the office chair at his desk, before he let himself fall onto his bed, with his phone between his hands. " _I had so much fun today, thanks for the ice cream! :-) Can we meet more often?_ " He typed in and with a warm smile, he sent the text.

The CEO decided to take a break and as she glanced at her watch, she saw that it was past 5 PM. "Henry." She furrowed her eyebrows slightly as she wondered if her son was back or not. Quietly, the brunette walked upstairs and towards her son's bedroom. One of her eyebrows arched at the sight. She stood by the door, with crossed arms.

" _Me too and you're welcome! We definitely should meet more often! You know, I'm just a message away. ;-)_ " Emma's text made the boy chuckle gladly.

"Henry? Who are you texting with?" Regina uncrossed her arms and approached him with a curious but serious stare.

"Nobody. What do you mean?" The little boy immediately put his phone away, acting all innocent.

"Henry Daniel Mills. /Who/ are you /texting/ with?" The grumpy lady placed her balled hands onto her hips as she questioned him. "Give me that phone, now." She stretched her right hand.

"Mom.." Henry moved his gaze down onto the floor, not really wanting to give her his phone.

"/Now/." She wiggled her fingers, gesturing to him, to hurry.

He let a deep sigh out and handed her his phone.

Regina looked at the screen and quickly read the last messages. "Who's that? Is that /her/?!" She glared at him. "Henry, I'm talking to you. Is that Emma?!" The tone in her voice sounded serious.

"Yes.." The boy mumbled quietly and as he moved his gaze back up to her, he saw her turning around and about to walk out of his room with his phone. "Wait, mom, what are you doing?"

She stopped and turned around, raising a perfectly manicured eyebrow at him. "I'm confiscating your phone."

"Why?" Henry furrowed both of his brows in annoyance.

"Because you lied to me, Henry. You know /exactly/ how much I dislike lies." His mother stated with a scowl.

The boy sighed and looked down in thought.

Regina walked out of the room, with her son's phone in her hand. She walked into her room and unlocked her son's phone, before she started to read the conversation between her son and Emma. A little jealousy is what the woman felt. She grabbed her own phone, which was on her nightstand and unlocked it as well, to add the officer's private phone number. " _Swan_ " was now the new contact on her list.

The brunette placed her son's phone onto her nightstand and opened a new message thread on her phone to text Emma. " _Miss Swan,_ " She typed in but then again, she deleted it. Hesitation. Tension. Confusion. " _Hello, Miss Swan. I'd like to know where from you've got my son's phone number and why you are texting him. We agreed to something, didn't we? ~Regina Mills._ " After reading the text repeatedly, she finally sent it.

Emma was seated on her couch, watching some TV as her screen lit up with a new message alert from ' _Unknown_ '. Her eyebrows furrowed in curiosity as she opened the message. The first words were enough for the blonde to guess who this message was from. "I knew this would happen.." She sighed and decided to call the brunette.

The CEO's phone started to vibrate and her heart ached for a second as she read the blonde's last name on her screen. A deep breath before she picked up. "Swan."

"Hello, Regina. As much as I know, I didn't agree to not meeting my son. I gave him my private phone number, so we could stay in touch. I gave him that choice." Emma went straight to the point. The tone in her voice was soft and calmed.

"What choice? There is no choice!" The chief executive officer said with an annoyed tone in her voice as she argued. Again, her fears were overwhelming her.

"Oh c'mon! Just accept the fact that Henry wants me in his life as well, Regina!" Emma's voice clearly changed from soft, into furious.

"How often do I have to remind you that /you/ gave him up?!" The older woman stated, arching one of her brows.

"You have /no/ idea about me and my past or my life, Regina. He wouldn't have had his best chance with me." Emma gritted her teeth but with a thick swallow, she calmed herself down. "But-I somehow know that he's got it with you. You care about him a lot. I can sense and see your concern towards him, but maybe he's just too confused right now.." She shook her head and got up of her couch, to pace around in her living room. "He thinks your work is always on the first place.." Swan added and bit her lower lip nervously.

Emma's words let the tough woman speechless. Just a soft breathing sound was to be heard on the other side of the phone, as the blonde spoke. All that the officer said was true. "Miss Swan, I-" Her voice sounded softer. She couldn't get a proper sentence out. Courage. Hesitation. Regret? Suddenly the grumpy and rough CEO was just an overwhelmed and helpless woman. She needed a moment to regain her composure. "I'd like to be informed about future meetings with my son. No more secret meetings, is that clear?"

The officer noticed the hesitation in Regina, but the most important thing was that she finally accepted her son's choice. A fond smile appeared on the blonde's face as she heard the last sentences from Henry's other mother. "Of course."

"I wish you a nice evening, Miss Swan. Goodbye." Regina smiled softly and hung up.

"Likewise. Bye." Em said before the older woman hung up their call.

Smiles, wild beating hearts and deep exhales from both sides, after that phone call. That was a big step for both and their son.

* * *

Later in the kitchen, when Regina was preparing supper, Henry walked in with an apologetic expression on his face. "Mom?.." He said shyly as he approached her.

"Hmm?" The short haired woman hummed as she stirred the sauce.

"I want to apologize for lying to you.." The boy said as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Regina averted her eyes from the pan and looked down at her son, with an arched eyebrow.

Her serious stare made him feel more uncomfortable but with his soft 'innocent' smile, he mostly managed to make it vanish.

"Alright. I do accept your apology." Her facial features softened and she continued stirring the sauce.

The boy smiled warmly at her and as he was about to go back upstairs, Regina spoke.

"I talked to Emma." She said and a small side smirk automatically tugged from the corner of her lips. "I told her that I'd like to know whenever you two are meeting."

The eyes of the young boy widened and his eyebrows raised in disbelief. At first he thought he had heard wrong. "Really? You are allowing us to keep meeting each other?" He turned around. A huge smile showing on his face.

"Yes." Regina nodded her head once in confirmation.

"Thank you, mom! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The thrilled boy gently hugged her from behind.

The brunette had a stunned but fond expression on her face. She didn't expect her son to be so thrilled about it. She side hugged him back and after a gentle squeeze, she gently pulled back, to switch off the stove. "It's okay, sweetheart. Now go set up the table." Regina was touched by the sudden hug of her son.

With a gentle nod of his head, the boy rushed into the dining room and started to set the table.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Surprise**

Once they finished eating supper, Henry helped his mother cleaning the dishes away, like always. "Mom?" He asked as he remembered something.

"Yes, Henry?" Regina arched an eyebrow lightly while she placed the dishes into the dishwasher and waited for her son's question.

"Tomorrow is my birthday,..-" The boy paused himself. The tone in his voice, a little low. "-can we please invite Emma to dinner? Please?" He looked at his mother, with those puppy eyes which almost always got him what he wanted.

"Hmm..." Regina closed the dishwasher and looked at her son. That face he made; the CEO couldn't say no to him. "Yes, that we could do. But you know it depends on her work shift, if she can come or not, right?" She prepared her son already, so he wouldn't be disappointed later, if his other mother said no.

"Yeah.." Henry nodded his head softly in understanding, the tone in his voice was between sad and soft.

"Now go brush your teeth and we'll see about that tomorrow, sweetheart." Regina said as she ruffled her son's hair playfully.

"Okay.." The boy pursed his lips softly and ran upstairs into the bathroom, to brush his teeth.

Regina cleaned the table in the dining room and soon she walked upstairs, to tuck her son into bed and press a kiss onto his forehead, like always. "Goodnight, my little prince." She whispered softly as a fond smile curled up her lips while she caressed his cheek lovingly.

"Goodnight, mom." The boy who was already all snuggled in bed, smiled softly at her. He turnt on his night light and closed his eyes.

The brunette lady walked out of her son's room and into hers. Grabbing her phone, just to text the blonde, before she changed into her pajamas and lied down onto her king-size bed. " _Hello, Swan. As you might know, our son has birthday tomorrow. He'd be more than glad, if you come over for dinner._ " Again, the chief executive officer read her text more than once, before she sent it.

Emma was already in bed, thinking about ' _god and the world_ '; reflexing her day. The lights in her apartment were all off, except for that one that lit up in that moment; her phone screen. A new message. ' _Regina_ '. Her heart automatically started to beat faster. " _I would totally love to come over! Thank you for inviting me!_ " She sent her text with a bright smile on her face. Of course she knew that her son had birthday soon, how could she ever forget such a memorable day?

" _Of course. Please be there at 7 PM sharp. Have a good night._ " Regina replied right away. A satisfied smirk on her face.

" _I'll try not to be late! You too!_ " Em texted back and read their earlier messages over and over again. It was such a great feeling. It'd be the first time for her, to celebrate her son's birthday with him.

With fond smiles, racing hearts and happy sighs, both of the women went to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Emma got a call from work. An emergency. "Ugh.." The blonde grumbled and made her way to work. She walked straight to her boss, to let something clear. "Sir, I can't stay longer than 6 PM. My son has birthday and I can't miss it." The officer said with a serious tone in her voice as she stood in front of the desk of her boss.

"Your son?" The older man laughed as he munched on his chocolate covered doughnut. "Em, I've known you for years." He swallowed. "You never mentioned that 'son' of yours. I've heard better excuses from you." He added as he shook his head in disbelief. "Now go back to work."

Emma inhaled deeply through her nose as she furrowed her eyebrows. She scowled at the not so thin man in front of her. "Excuse me, sir, but you don't know me. You may know a lot about my professional life but you have no idea about my private one." The blonde gritted her teeth in anger. She always felt uncomfortable talking about her life. Too many scars and dark moments. "I do have a son and I've messed up a lot,-" She paused herself, to not go in details. "-so I'm asking you to please let me attend to my son's birthday dinner, for the first time. I don't want to disappoint him for once."

Her boss' facial expression changed immediately. He apologized for having made fun of her and allowed her to go home earlier.

* * *

Meanwhile, Regina woke up early, just to finish the decoration of her son's cupcake; that she had made the day before, when he was out with Emma.

As soon as she finished writing ' _Happy Birthday Henry!_ ' with some chocolate sauce on the plate, she placed a green star shaped candle on the top of it and lit it up. "Perfect!" She whispered softly and carried it into her son's room. "Henry, sweetheart! Wake up." The CEO gently woke him up, with soft caresses on his cheek.

"Mmm.." The boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and rubbed his eyes as he woke up.

"Happy birthday, champion!" Regina smiled warmly, holding the homemade cupcake in front of him.

"It's my birthday?" Henry asked confused, not really awake. "It's my birthday!" He smiled brightly and sat up. "Thanks, mom!"

"Go on! Make a wish!" The brunette said as she sat down onto his bed, still holding the plate in front of him.

The boy closed his eyes tightly as a fond smile tugged from the corner of his lips. There was a certain something that he wished for. One strong blow was enough for the candle to go off. With his index, the boy swiped the chocolate sauce off of the plate and moved his now chocolate covered finger into his mouth, before removing the candle and finally taking a bite of that delicious looking cupcake.

After brushing their teeth and getting ready for the day, both ate breakfast together.

* * *

Hours later, Swan went straight under the shower, after work. About thirty minutes later, she came out of the bathroom and got ready for her son's birthday dinner. It was 6:30 PM. "Hmm.. Regina said 7 PM so I got 30 minutes to get ready.." The blonde said to herself as she stood in front of her wardrobe, looking through her clothes and picking an outfit.

In the meantime, Regina was in the kitchen, placing Henry's favorite dish; lasagna, into the oven, while Henry was in the living room, watching some cartoons and already wearing his dinosaur onesie.

Emma slipped into her boots before she grabbed her keys and her wallet. "Now to buy a gift." She went to a games-store and bought Henry a new console; a PS4. She knew Henry loved video games, ever since she entered his room and spotted a gameboy, computer games and more.

"Good. The kid is gonna love it for sure!" Em said to herself as she placed the wrapped gift onto the back seats of her VW. Then she climbed into her car and drove off to the CEO's mansion.

"Oh Swan.. Where are you?.." Regina looked at her kitchen clock, shaking her head. It was 7:05 PM. Suddenly someone ringed the door bell.

"I go!" The brunette shouted, referring to Henry, but he didn't even hear the ringing of the door bell.

The CEO walked to the main door, but first she checked her hair on the mirror which was nearby, exhaling once before opening the door, nervously.

Emma was standing at the door, wearing her skinny blue jeans, a wine red sweater and her black leather jacket, holding the gift in her arms.

"You're 5 minutes too late, miss Swan." Regina said expectantly as she opened the door.

"I tried to be punctual. Really." The blonde woman said honestly, pursing her lips softly.

"Well, come in." The older woman said and stepped back, to give the other space to walk in.

"Emma!" A male and young voice called happily, coming from the living room towards her. The boy wanted to greet her with a warm embrace, but there was something in their way.

"Kid! Happy birthday!" The blonde smiled brightly at him. "I got you this, but since it's a little heavy, let's open it in the living room." They walked with him towards the living room and she set the gift onto the couch, so that it could be easier for the boy to open his present. "I hope you like it!"

Regina stood behind the blonde, watching the two of them and specially the huge smile on her son's face as he unwrapped his gift.

"Wow! No way! You got me a PlayStation 4?" Henry glanced at Emma with that huge smile of his and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Thank you so, so much, Emma!"

Regina smiled warmly, at the sight of her happy son. She hadn't seen him that happy in a while and she missed that smile.

The blonde just laughed softly and hugged her son back, smiling softly at the woman who was watching them.

Suddenly a weird smell polluted the ambient. Regina sniffed around and her eyes widened as she remembered that she forgot to turn off the oven. "Oh no! The lasagna!" Quick clacking of heels rushed into the kitchen. The CEO turned off the oven immediately and as she opened it, she saw that the lasagna was partly burnt. "Argh.. great.." She said sarcastically.

"Is everything alright?" Emma suddenly stood behind the brunette. Asking with a concerned tone in her voice.

"The lasagna is partly burnt.." Regina replied with a rather annoyed tone in her voice, than disappointed as she looked down onto the burnt dish.

"At least it's not completely burnt." Em said with a teasing tone in her voice and chuckled sheepishly.

Regina couldn't help but to scoff softly at Emma's statement as she rolled her eyes playfully. "That actually never happened to me.." The brunette shook her head softly and gently placed the lasagna onto the kitchen isle.

"Don't worry about it, if you want, I can eat the burnt part..? In fact, I'm used to that taste, because every time I try to cook, I end up burning something.." Again Emma chuckled sheepishly, trying to light up the mood.

Regina just arched an eyebrow at her and joined her chuckle.

Henry was standing by the door, watching his mothers laugh and comfort each other. That sight caused him to smile brightly.

As they were about to eat, Emma grabbed her fork and knife and cut a small piece of her lasagna. Henry and Regina were watching her, curious about her reaction to the taste, but she was focused on cutting the piece. Then she gently shoved it into her mouth. The blonde made a face as she started to chew on it, savoring the bitter-salty taste. "Mmm.. It's-good." She mumbled, as she glanced over at the brunette.

Regina chuckled softly and shook her head. "Oh come on.. no." She cut the half of her piece of lasagna and motioned to the blonde, to hand her her plate. "I can't let you eat that."

"It's okay! Regina, no.. it's yours." Emma blushed at Regina's action. It was nice of her to do so and she didn't expect it at all.

"No, look at it. It's burnt." Regina insisted.

"Thanks.." With a soft sigh, Em gave in and handed her her plate.

The older woman carefully served the half of her lasagna onto that plate. "No problem." She offered the other a soft smile as she handed her back the plate.

Their cheeks were red as the tomato sauce of their food and Henry was sitting there, eating his own lasagna, while smiling brightly at the two women.

A while later, they finished eating their piece of lasagna.

Henry took a sip of his juice, before he glanced at his adoptive mother and smiled at her. "Mom, can we try the new game that Emma got me?"

Regina moved her gaze to Emma quickly, as if asking her for an approval. The blonde just nodded her head while she shrugged. Signalizing that she wouldn't mind playing with her son and her. "Of course." The brunette said to her son, with a gentle smile.

"Great! I'm gonna set it up then." Henry said with a thrilled expression on his face.

"You do that and I'm gonna help your mom with the dishes." Emma responded to him, while grabbing his plate and placing it above hers.

"Oh. Thank you." Regina said with a small but gentle chuckle as the other woman grabbed her plate and placed it on top of Henry's.

The CEO grabbed the glasses and followed the younger woman into the kitchen.

"I have to say.. That was the best lasagna I've ever eaten." Emma said with an amused smile.

"Oh come on.." Regina gave her a look as if saying: 'I know you're lying, Swan.'

"No, really! I mean it!" Emma looked into the coffee brown eyes as she confirmed her own statement.

"It was burnt." The perfectionist argued as she furrowed her eyebrows lightly. Disappointed in herself.

"But it still had that good taste." Emma said with a teasing tone in her voice as she nudged her playfully with her elbow.

Regina shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully as she placed the dirty glasses into the dishwasher.

They put the rest of the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and then joined their son in the living room.

Henry knew how to use the PS4, since he always played with the public one that's installed in the mall, right next to the video games. Soon, he finally set the console, with some of Em's help. They all sat down on the black couch.

The boy decided to sit between the two women; to be 'fair'.

There were only two controllers, which meant that one of them had to watch while the other two played and if one lost, then the other one could finally play.

"Alright. Mom? Would you like to play or watch Emma and me, to see how it works?" He asked his adoptive mother. Em partly knew how it all worked, since she used to play with the very first consoles that came out, back then when she was in her foster homes. At the end, they all were almost the same; just a little tweaked.

"Hmm.. I think I'll just watch, first." Regina said with a gentle smile and a soft nod of her head.

"Great. You'll watch me win!" Henry winked at the brunette woman.

"That's the right attitude, son." His adoptive mother couldn't hold back her laugh.

"Hey!" Em pouted playfully as she narrowed her eyes at them.

Regina and their son just laughed at the blonde's facial expression.

"Okay." The boy said and handed his birth mother, the other controller. "We're about to start. Are you ready?"

The officer got into her position. Her eyes focused onto the screen. "Yes!"

With a push on the right button, Henry started the game.

Regina watched them. A smirk was to be seen on her face as her eyes were specially focused on one of the two.

"Ha! I'm winning!" Emma bragged as she nudged her son playfully, with her elbow.

But not even a few seconds later, the game took a turn and suddenly Henry was winning.

"Are you sure about that?" The smart boy said with a mischievous smirk on his face. "Ha ha! I won! Yes!" Victoriously, he laughed. Bumping his fist in the air.

"That's my son!" Regina said with a proud smile on her face as she clapped for him.

"Here. Your turn." Em handed the older woman the controller as she smirked at her. "Let's see if you can beat our son."

"Alright." Suddenly, Regina's proud smile turned into a shy and insecure one. "I'm ready, I suppose." Her cheeks flushed a little.

"Okay!" Henry said with a grin, before he started the game.

"No, wait.." But it was too late. Henry had already pushed the start button. "I don't know what buttons to use.." Regina's been too distracted with that certain person's moves as they played, that she didn't see how the game works.

Emma moved a little forward and showed Regina what buttons to push but the brunette didn't quite understand which ones the blonde meant and so the younger woman stood up and walked around the couch, just to sit next to the older one and show her how the game worked.

Regina watched the blonde walk around the couch and so she made some space next to her.

"Look, you gotta push this button, to move forward and that other one is for when the blue bar is full, which means that you can use speed." She pointed at the buttons while she explained them.

"Okay." The brunette nodded her head in confirmation.

"This thing here." The blonde showed with her index. "The left analog stick is for when you want to move to the left or right." Her gaze moved slowly from the controller, to the refined lady's face and then to the screen.

"Like that?" Regina said as she pushed the right buttons, this time.

"Yes! There you go!" Em said with a very proud tone in her voice.

Their son had compassion with his adoptive mother, that he purposely moved his character slowly, until his mother caught him up.

Now the two of them were playing fairly.

"No way! You won!" Regina said as she pouted playfully and glanced at her son.

He giggled and looked at the two of his mother's. "I told you I was gonna win!"

A few rounds later, it was being time for Henry to go to bed.

"Henry, love. It's almost 10 PM and you have school tomorrow.." Regina said with a soft sigh. She always had a great concern about her son's studies and just wanted him to excel.

"Yeah.." The boy sighed as well and turned off the console.

"C'mon, kid. You can play tomorrow after school, if your mom allows you." The blonde offered him a gentle smile.

"Yes, I do." Regina confirmed Emma's statement and glanced quickly at her, just to offer her a soft but gentle smile.

"Okay." Henry nodded his head and his smile grew. "Thank you for coming, Emma and thank you, mom, for inviting her." He stood up from his place and moved into the gap between the two women, just to snuggle them. "This was the best birthday ever!" His arms wrapped around them in a fond and warm sandwich hug.

"You're very welcome." The two ladies said at the same time. A soft chuckle followed from both sides.

Emma got so emotional in that moment, that she felt like crying, but she didn't. This moment was one of those that she'd never forget. A family hug. Something she had never had until that day.

Regina wished for the hug, to last forever. A family. Something she had always referred as her happy ending.

Henry gave the two of them a gentle squeeze, before he pulled back. "Goodnight, mom." He pressed a soft kiss onto her cheek and then he glanced at Emma, not sure if he was allowed to do the same, but he did it anyway. "Goodnight Emma."

The boy had finally realized that his adoptive mother was more than just that. She was like his actual birth mother. Always so caring, loving and even though she wasn't always there for him, she tried her best.

"I'll be right there." Regina said to her son as she got up of her seat and watched him walk upstairs.

Emma got up of the couch and waved at her son, before she looked back at the brunette who just turned around to face her.

"Thank you for coming." The CEO said as her coffee brown eyes looked into hazel ones. The tone in her voice was soft and calmed.

"I'm glad I was able to come too. Thanks for inviting me." Em said chuckling as she remembered the conversation she had with her boss, earlier.

"No problem." Regina offered the other a small but soft smile.

"I-should go, it's getting late and I got morning shift tomorrow.." The blonde rolled her eyes a little annoyed about the fact that she had to wake up early the day after.

"Sure." The brunette nodded her head a few times, before she turned her heels and walked to the main door.

Emma couldn't help but to stare at the woman in front of her, as she followed her towards the door.

Regina wrapped her slender digits around the door handle and turned it; opening the white door and stepping a little aside, to let the other pass. "Have a good night." She said with a shy smile.

"Thanks, you too and sleep well." Emma said, giving her one last smile for that day.

"You too, Swan." Regina said, almost whispering, before she closed the door. Resting the palm of her hand against the door and letting a soft but happy sigh escape her crimson red lips.

Was a friendship growing between the two women? Or was it something else?...


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Confusion**

Five days passed and none of the women heard from each other. Just Henry texted Emma once or twice a day, wishing her a nice day. But other than that, no meetings were planned. And Regina didn't really dare to ask her son about how the blonde was doing; worried that her smart boy would find it weird of her to do so.

But there still was that curiosity in Regina. And that yearning desire of wanting to see her again. Suddenly the officer's presence was missing.

Deep sighs escaped through the brunette's lips as she glanced down onto her phone, while being seated at her desk in her office. With just one push, she was already dialing that certain number.

A few ringback tones later, finally someone picked up.

A slight panting was to be heard from the other side of the call. It was Emma, who just ran to her desk, to catch the call without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?.."

"Hello, miss Swan. It's me, Regina." The older woman said with a soft tone in her voice. Something unusual for the blonde to hear, on a sudden phone call coming from her.

"Hey, what's up? Is everything alright? Did something happen to Henry?" Emma questioned with a concerned tone in her voice. Already picturing stuff that could've happened to Henry, like again, he could've maybe run away or they could've gotten into an argument or perhaps it's about his school and grades.

"No, no. Henry is all fine. He's at school right now. I was just-" The CEO paused herself; grabbing a pen into her free hand just to play with it, out of nervosity. An old trick that a former teacher taught her, for whenever she needed to calm the nerves. "-Actually, miss Swan, I wanted to ask you if you would like to watch a movie with me- /and/ Henry of course." The brunette blushed at the sentence coming out of her own mouth. "Tonight." She added, biting her lower lip.

"A movie? At your place? With you? Tonight?" Regina's random invitation took the blonde by surprise, that only those questions came out of her mouth.

"Yes." The older woman confirmed. "A movie, in my house, with me /and/ Henry, tonight." She smirked a little, as she noticed how surprised the other woman sounded. Hoping she'd say yes.

Gasps came out of Em's mouth, before she could get proper words out. "Uh, yes. Sure. Sounds good. I'd love that-I mean /Henry/ would definitely love that." The warmth in her cheeks increased, as she spoke that last sentence.

"Great!" A smile appeared on the CEO's full lips. "So, we'll be waiting at 8 PM." She said, referring to her son and herself.

"Okay, perfect!" Swan nodded her head once as she brushed her tongue over her bottom lip, to moisten it.

"Good. See you later, then." The brunette said smiling as she waited for the other one to respond, before she hung up the call.

"Yup! Bye.." That phone call left a grin on the officer's face. One could even tell, that her day had been made, by just that happening.

Regina texted her son right away, telling him the good news, before she went back to work.

* * *

At about 7:30 PM, Henry came back from school. He had to do some extra hours, since he had missed a few.. "Mom? I'm home!" The boy shouted as he closed the door behind himself and walked into the mansion.

The noise of the hairdryer was just too loud, that Regina didn't hear her son shouting and approaching her. "Mom?" The boy said as after he knocked three times on the door, before he entered the room.

"Henry!" Regina startled as she spotted his reflection on the mirror. She turned off the hairdryer and turned around, clutching her chest with one free hand as she shook her head. Needing a second to calm down. "My goodness.. you just scared me!" A soft chuckle escaped her throat.

"Sorry.." The boy made a face. He noticed that his mother had make up on and was getting ready for something or someone?.. "Are you going somewhere?" He asked with a slight tilt of his head.

"No, but she is coming soon." Regina unplugged the hairdryer and placed it on her bed, before she grabbed her brush and did her hair; turning her body back to the mirror. "Are you ready for our movie night?" She added.

"Movie night?" The boy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Who's /she/?" He frowned in slight concern. Who's she talking about? He wondered. "Mom, are you okay?"

"Emma, of course." The CEO replied, after applying her crimson red lipstick. "Didn't you get my text message?" His mother said as she turned around to face him again.

A soft and confused chuckle escaped his throat as he shook his head a few times, not quite processing it all in his head. "What-Oh, right. My phone was off.." He remembered.

And before Regina could say another sentence, the boy continued talking. "Wait. Is this really happening?" He couldn't believe what his mother just told him. Whose idea was it?..

"Of course it is, silly." An amused grin appeared on Regina's face. "Now go get ready, she might be here sometime soon."

"This definitely made my day, thanks mom!" The boy happily obeyed his mother. A firm nod of his head in confirmation and a wide and merry smile curled up his lips, before he disappeared into his room.

Regina laughed softly at her son's reaction and watched him rush out of her bedroom, before she finished doing her hair.

* * *

Emma was already showered and ready for the movie night with her son and his other mother. She grabbed her keys, before she walked out of her apartment and towards her yellow Volkswagen.

Once she was seated on the driver's seat, the random thought of getting something for Regina came up to her mind. "Hmm.. I can't just go there empty handed.." She frowned softly. "Agh, I'm gonna get her some wine. Wine is always good." And off she drove to the nearest wine shop.

After she got the wine, not any wine but an expensive one, because she knew Regina was a woman of taste; she finally drove over to the Mills Mansion.

It was 8 PM sharp. Emma made it to the Mills' mansion in time. With the wine bottle in her right hand, she stood on Regina's porch, ringing the door with her free hand.

The clacking of heels approaching the main door, was to be heard. "You're punctual, miss Swan." Regina said as she opened the door and greeted the other woman with a gentle smirk.

"Hey." Emma offered her a gentle smile. The CEO's eyes wandered to the bottle in the blonde's right hand and her left perfect manicured eyebrow arched softly.

The officer's eyes followed the brunette's and that reminded her to give her the bottle. "Yeah-I-uh, brought you some wine."

"Oh, why thank you." Regina reached her hand out, to accept the bottle, with a soft grin on her face. She looked at the name of the wine and read what kind of wine it was. She noticed right away, that it wasn't any cheap wine bottle and that made her cheeks become a little dark shade of pink. "Port wine! How did you know I like sweet wine?" The older woman couldn't help but to let that soft chuckle escape her mouth.

"I just guessed.." Em bit her lower lip nervously as she simply shrugged. "No, well.. I mean, I like sweet wine too." She added and continued giving more explanations as to why she had chosen that kind of wine. "That's actually the only kind of wine I like. I'm more of a whiskey or beer type.."

"I understand." Regina noticed Emma's nervosity and decided to move on and let her in. "Well, thank you, dear. Please, come in." She stepped back and held the door open for the officer. "Henry! Emma is here." The older woman called for her son, before she closed the door.

Emma stood in the lobby, next to the brunette as she looked up the stairs, awaiting their son.

"Coming!" A fine male voice shouted out from upstairs. "Emma!" The boy ran downstairs and into the blonde's arms.

"Hey, kid." She caught him into a warm embrace. "Did you already pick a movie?"

"Oops. No, I forgot.." Henry shrugged slightly, grinning innocently, up at his biological mother.

"Hmm.. let's pick one, then." She smiled warmly, down at him, before she playfully ruffled his hair.

Regina, who watched them have their moment, decided to go to the kitchen and prepare the snacks and drinks. "While you two choose a movie, I'll go to the kitchen and make us some popcorn."

"Sure!" Henry smiled at his mother.

Emma nodded her head in affirmation, before putting her arm over her son's shoulder and leading them to the living room.

Regina went to the kitchen and made the popcorn. Then she put the fresh made popcorn into a bowl. After that, she poured some apple juice into one glass and some wine into the other two. Setting them on a tray, next to the bowl of popcorn and soon carrying the tray into the living room.

"So, what movie are we going to watch?" She asked smiling while placing the tray onto the couch table.

"We haven't picked one, yet." Emma replied and grabbed some popcorn, popping them into her mouth.

"Oh, mom! Can we watch 'The Avengers', please?" Henry asked, kind of begged his adoptive mother. She just eyed Emma, letting her the choice to decide.

"I'm okay with it." The younger woman shrugged softly, not really caring what movie they would watch, as long as she's spending time with them.

"Okay." Regina said and sat down at the right edge of the couch, next to the blonde, who was sitting in the middle, of the three.

Henry switched on the TV and put the movie into the DVD-Player, joining his mothers, sitting next to the officer, on the left edge of the couch.

Emma felt like home; so comfortable that she took off her boots and lifted her feet onto the couch. Bending one leg more than the other, to her right side, making herself even more comfortable. Her son cuddled underneath her left arm while her right hand rested on the couch.

Everyone's eyes were focused onto the screen.

A few minutes later, Regina took a sip of her wine and also decided to take off her black pumps, to lift her legs onto the couch; sitting in a more comfortable position.

Henry took the bowl of popcorn and grabbed a handful before he passed the bowl to his biological mother.

She took a sip of her glass of wine and also grabbed a few, before offering the brunette some.

"Thanks." The brunette woman whispered softly while grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"No problem." Emma whispered back just as softly while looking onto the screen. She kept the bowl between her lifted thighs and her back leaned torso, so that Henry and Regina could grab some popcorn anytime they wanted.

"Oh, look, mom! There's Black Widow, your favorite avenger!" The boy said, pointing to the screen.

"Mhm." His adoptive mother hummed affirmatively.

"Black Widow, huh?" Emma nudged the woman who was sitting right next to her, playfully with her elbow.

Regina chuckled softly to herself. "Who's your favorite avenger?"

"Black Widow." Em replied but moved a little closer to the brunette and whispered quietly, so their son wouldn't hear her following sentence. "Although I like Tony's wife too.. I know she's not an avenger but still." She chuckled softly and after looking deeply in coffee brown eyes, she sat back onto her old position. Her cheeks flushing as well as the other woman's.

One hour and a half passed by and the movie wasn't still over. The wine glasses were empty.

Regina's and Emma's eyes were all focused into the movie, while Henry had already fallen asleep, cuddled underneath his birth mother's left arm.

The blonde woman didn't notice that Regina had rested her hand on the couch, in the gap between them. So, she decided to rest her hand in that gap between them and suddenly and unintentionally their hands met. Emma's hand above Regina's.

Both widened their eyes at the unexpected touch, but none of them pulled their hands back. Their hearts were beating faster than usual.

The blonde didn't know what to do. She felt too overwhelmed with her feelings that she just started to caress the brunette's hand, softly. What was happening?

Regina didn't know how to feel as well. To pull back or let it be? She was confused. Was Emma doing that because of Henry? Because if his mothers become 'good friends', Henry would finally be happy? Or was she doing it for another reason?.. As long as she didn't know, she tried not to take Emma's behavior, that serious.

About fifteen minutes later, the movie ended and Regina pulled her hand back gently. "So, the movie is over." She said as she took the remote control, to push the stop button.

"Shh.. he's asleep." Emma whispered to Regina while trying not to wake her son up, by moving him.

"Oh no.. How will I bring him upstairs, now?.." The dark haired woman frowned and shook her head. "No.. We have to wake him up." She said with slight furrowed eyebrows, seeing no other way of how to bring him upstairs.

"I-can carry him." The officer suggested. Not really sure, if she could carry him upstairs.

"Are you sure?" Regina asked, raising her eyebrow at her, slightly surprised by her suggestion.

"Yeah. I mean, I could try at least." Emma shrugged lightly as she chuckled sheepishly.

"Fine." Regina got up from her place, carefully taking the bowl of popcorn, that was between Emma's legs and placed it onto the table.

Emma pulled her arm away from her son, carefully. She stood up, stretching and letting her bones crack, before putting her boots back on and finally pulling the boy up to carry him into her arms, gently.

"Be careful!" Regina said quietly and with a concerned tone in her voice while grabbing her own shoes and stepping back to let Em pass with her son.

"Don't worry, I won't drop him." The blonde teased and walked upstairs with the sleeping boy in her arms.

While Emma was upstairs, tucking her son to bed, Regina switched off the DVD-Player and the TV, before she set the empty glasses and the empty bowl of popcorn onto the tray, to carry them into the kitchen.

The blonde walked downstairs to the living room and as she saw that noone was there, she went into the kitchen. There she found the brunette, putting the dishes into the dishwasher. The tight and dark blue dress, that the CEO was wearing, the one which intoned her figure, didn't make it any easy for the blonde to avert her eyes from a certain spot. Em cleared her throat softly, before she continued speaking. "Uhm.. Henry's in bed."

Regina threw back her shoulder long hair, after she closed the dishwasher and glanced at the blonde. "Thank you." A small but gentle smile appeared on her lips.

"No, I'm the one to thank /you/ for giving me this chance." Emma said with such an ease. As if she had planned to say that to her.

The brunette parted her lips open to speak, but the younger woman was faster.

"I think I just go now, if there's nothing else I can help you with, of course?.." Em offered her her help with a gentle but soft smile.

"No, everything is fine. Thanks." The CEO pursed her lips softly and played with the palms of her own hands.

"Good." The blonde nodded her head slowly. An awkward silence was about to settle between them, but the older woman approached her in that moment.

The officer thought something else was about to happen. She could sense the tension between them, growing more and more by each step of the refined lady. Their gazes never leaving each other.

But the brunette just walked very close past her, with a soft but shy smile on her face. She walked to the door, motioning to the other woman to follow her.

Em pursed her lips as she realized what was happening. What was this about?.. She thought and followed the brunette.

As both were standing at the door, the brunette was the first to say goodbye. "Have a good night, miss Swan."

"Emma." The blonde said to her, with a soft tone in her voice as she walked out onto the porch. "Just call me Emma." She turned around, just to flash the other a small grin.

Regina inhaled softly as she smiled back at the blonde while she nodded her head. "Well, goodbye, /Emma/." She leaned her head against the door as she watched the officer go.

"Goodbye, Regina." The younger woman said before she walked towards her VW and climbed in. The older lady closed the door as soon as the other woman wasn't in her sight anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Flashbacks**

After that movie night, both mothers decided to spend every weekend together with their son. But they never talked about that certain incident; when their hands touched.

A lot happened throughout the months that had passed and although the two women were closer now, they somehow were still strangers to one another; but one day, Emma decided to properly get to know the other woman and so she asked the brunette for a meeting, just for the two of them.

The younger woman grabbed her phone and dialed the older woman's number. She bit her lower lip nervously as she paced around in her office and waited for the other to pick up.

"Emma, hello." The older lady picked up with a soft tone in her voice, after she saw the caller ID.

"Hey." Swan smiled softly, playing with one of her blonde locks out of nervosity as she talked. "I was wondering if you'd like to come over to my house, later?"

"Excuse me?" Regina arched her eyebrows lightly in bewilderment, wondering if Em was asking her out on something like a date or if she was referring to something else.

"For dinner!" The blonde said quickly. "Don't get me wrong, I-Uh, I thought we both should get to know each other more, since we are /both/ Henry's mothers, you know?"

"Yes." The older woman nodded her head softly in thought as she grabbed her pen and played with it. "Hmm.. Just the two of us?" She asked with an intrigued tone in her voice.

"Just the two of us." Em confirmed with a single nod of her head and a sheepish small grin, even though the other couldn't see it.

"What time?" The busy lady asked as she already opened her notebook and looked through her notes.

"Whatever suits you." With a soft shrug, the officer responded. But she hoped it would be soon.

The CEO spotted some scheduled meetings for that day, but those weren't that important, so she just crossed them out. "I'll have to cancel a few meetings and I'll have to call Ruby now, so she can come over, later to babysit Henry."

"Oh. No, no! Don't worry, we could postpone this to another day, if you like?" The blonde said nervously, obviously she didn't want to disturb the woman in her daily work routine.

"No, that's fine by me, really. I could need an early start of the weekend." A soft and short laugh escaped through full crimson lips.

"Okay-Well.. See you later at 8 PM?" Again, the younger woman bit her lower lip as she waited for a confirmation.

"8 PM it is." Regina confirmed and the flush on her cheeks never seemed to vanish.

"Okay. Bye." The blonde said, before hanging up the call and focusing back to her work.

Their day had already started swell.

* * *

After that call, Regina exhaled deeply and pushed a certain button on her office phone, which would automatically connect her to her personal assistant. "Alice, please cancel the last four meetings for today."

"Yes, m'am." The young woman spoke as she searched the scheduled meetings on her computer. Once they showed on her screen, she continued talking. "The one with Mr. Martinez, Mrs. Lachapelle and the last two with Mr. Rivelli and Mrs. Jordan?"

"Correct." Regina nodded her head once in affirmation. "Tell them that we're postponing those to next Friday and that they should bring the papers we talked about. Next Friday is the start of the fashion training, they already know about it, but remind them anyways. Then we'll have some fashion shows going on. If there's something really important, tell them to message me. They all have my e-mail." The CEO said and leaned back onto her chair.

"Alright, m'am." Alice confirmed.

"Thank you." The brunette said, before grabbing her shoulder bag; rummaging in it, searching for her phone.

Once she had it in her hand, she unlocked it and looked for Ruby's phone number in her contact list. Then she dialed the babysitter's number.

"Miss Mills?" A young female voice answered the call.

"Yes, hello, dear." Regina smiled softly as she heard the young woman's voice. "I was wondering if you have any plans later?" She proceeded with her question.

"Uhm.. no, not really. Why? Is it 'cause of Henry?" The curly haired brunette grinned. It's been a while since she babysitted that little boy.

"Yes. I need you to come over at 7:30 PM. I have an important meeting, can you make it?" The older woman asked as she hoped that the younger one could take care of her son, later that day.

"Yes, sure!" Ruby said with a happy tone in her voice.

"Great! I don't think that meeting will last more than an hour or two, anyway." The CEO said, kind of reassuring the young gal.

"Sure, that's no problem." The other said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Alright, see you at 7:30 PM then." Regina asked one last time, just to be sure.

"Yup!" Ruby responded quickly and both hung up the call.

* * *

Hours passed. It was 6:40 PM and Regina decided to finish work for that day. She got up of her seat and put on her long black coat, before she grabbed her shoulder bag and walked out of her office. Saying goodbye to her employees on her way out.

As soon as she was seated in her blue Mercedes, she drove off and on her way to her mansion, she remembered a little fact about Emma: The blonde wasn't really a wine type, but a beer or whiskey type. The CEO drove to the supermarket and bought a six pack of 'Corona' beer, because she thought she couldn't go there, empty handed. After that, she finally drove back home and there she found her son doing his homework in the living room.

"Hey sweetheart!" She approached him and placed a soft kiss on top of his head.

"Hey mom. You're back?.. Didn't you have work until 9 PM or was it tomorrow?" The boy turned to her and tilted his head lightly to the side in confusion.

"Yes, I had to cancel them." Regina placed her shoulder bag on a stool next to Henry's, before she took off her coat. "I have another important one, but I need to get ready."

"Oh, I understand. Is it about that new collection you've been working hard on?" The smart boy asked as a proud smile curled up his lips.

"Uh-" His mother hesitated at first, but if she told him that she was going to meet his other mother, he'd want to come with her. "-yes. Yes, it is." A faint grin was to be seen on her face.

"Nice!" The boy said, grinning back to her.

"And you, how was school?" Regina asked as she folded her coat and placed it on her arm.

"Mew.. got a lot of homework.." Henry made a face and let a soft sigh out.

"Then you better keep doing them, so you finish them before Ruby comes." The woman ruffled her son's hair gently and made her way towards her bedroom.

"She's coming?" The boy asked with a surprised tone in his voice.

"Yes. At 7:30." Regina shouted from upstairs.

After the CEO chose an outfit for her meeting with Emma, got showered and dressed, she applied some make up.

* * *

Meanwhile, Emma was in her apartment, cooking dinner for two. As soon as she finished cooking, she ran into the bathroom, to take a quick shower.

* * *

The door bell ringed. It was the young brunette.

Regina opened the door with a gentle smile on her face. "Ruby, come in."

"Hello, Miss Mills." The young lady walked in, offering the older a gentle smile.

"How are you?" The CEO asked with a gentle smile upon her lips.

"Good, yourself?" Ruby replied as she took off her jacket and hung it on the jack stand.

"Ugh.. like always. Good and busy." Regina rolled her eyes playfully.

The younger woman chuckled softly at the playful roll of eyes of the other.

"Henry finished his homework just now. He should take a shower and there's anything on groceries you can eat in the fridge, you guys can either have some fried eggs with bacon and some bread or whatever you think is good." The chief executive officer explained quickly.

"Of course!" Ruby nodded her head as she listened to the older woman.

"Alright, I got to go now." Regina inhaled deeply as she looked at herself in the mirror that was nearby. Then she turned to the young woman and looked at her with an insecure expression on her face. "Do I look good?"

"You look stunning, Miss Mills! Perfect like always!" The future chef cook, who admired the other woman said with a bright grin and a few nods of her head.

"Thank you." The insecure smile on Regina's face turned into a soft one.

"Hey Rubes!" Henry walked to them, with a wide smile on his face.

"Henry!" The student greeted the boy with a smile as wide as his.

"You can play with your console until 10 PM." Regina said to her son, then she glanced at Ruby and continued talking. "Then you two can watch a movie, if he's not sleepy until then."

"Mhmm." Rubes nodded her head once as she hummed affirmatively.

"Okay. Love you, sweetheart. You be good!" Mills leaned a little down, cupping her son's chin with one hand as she talked to him.

"Love you too, mom. Good luck!" The boy smiled fondly and pressed a soft kiss onto his mother's cheek.

"Thanks, baby." His adoptive mother smiled fondly and stood back up.

"Bye, Miss Mills!" Ruby said with a gentle smile.

"I guess I don't need to tell you to be careful in the kitchen, do I?" The older woman teased the young one. Obviously she knew that Ruby was working hard on becoming a chef cook and she was pretty good so far.

"Naah, don't worry. You know me!" The soon to be chef cook chuckled softly.

"Alright, bye!" And with a gentle chuckle, the CEO put on her coat and grabbed her bag, before she walked out of her mansion and towards her car; soon driving off to the blonde's apartment.

* * *

After showering for at least twenty minutes, the officer got dressed. She put on black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a beige long cardigan. For her feet, she decided to put on black ankle boots. Then she dried her blonde wavy hair and applied some natural make up on.

Right after getting ready, she set the table. Folded two napkins, placed two plates, the necessary cutlery and two wine glasses. Then she served the warm noodles into a porcelain bowl and the sauce into another one, soon placing them onto the table.

And as if Regina knew that everything was set and already awaiting her, she knocked on the door.

Emma's heart raced as she heard the knocking on her apartment door. Deep breaths from both sides of the door.

"Hey! Come in." The officer said with a soft but gentle smile as she opened the door and stepped back a little, to let the other pass.

The brunette who was still standing outside, held the six pack of 'Corona' beer in front of the other. "I-brought some beer, since you told me that you prefer that over wine..?"

"Awh! That's nice of you, thanks! I actually got us some port wine for tonight, though.. But we could drink these another day, huh?" Em accepted the six pack and closed the door behind the brunette who looked around; admiring the modern and stylish apartment of the officer. "I made us some pasta.. I hope that's okay for you?" The blonde chew on her own lips out of nervosity and gestured to the CEO to take a seat at the table.

"Yes, of course, don't worry." Regina chuckled softly and took a seat at the already set table.

"How's Henry?" Em poured some wine into the brunette's glass, before she poured some into hers.

"He's good. I didn't tell him that I was coming over, otherwise he'd have wanted to come with me." The chief executive officer explained.

"Yeah, I was thinking of taking him out for an ice-cream tomorrow." The blonde placed Regina's glass on her place.

"Yes, that he'll love for sure." Regina offered the younger woman a soft smirk. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." The other woman nodded her head once and took a seat across from the older one. "I hope you like it." Emma said, referring to the pasta that she'd cooked.

"Well, it does look delicious." Regina said honestly, with a side smirk tugged from one corner of her lips. "Let's try it." She grabbed her cutlery and took a bite.

The blonde waited tensely for a feedback and watched the CEO's reactions.

Regina raised both of her brows in surprise at the good taste of the food. "Not bad, Swan. This is almost as good as mine." She teased.

A deep exhale escaped through the pale lips of the blonde. "This means a lot coming from such a refined and awesome cook like you!" She chuckled softly.

The brunette blushed at the officer's words. She couldn't help but to chuckle as she remembered the first time she cooked for Emma. "Oh please.. remember my burnt lasagna?"

"Pff.. c'mon, that was a one time thing!" Em tried to playfully reassure the brunette.

* * *

Dirty and empty plates rested on the table. Both women had finished their food. The wine glasses were less than half full.

"Would you like some more?" The young woman asked the olde one, referring to the lasagna.

"Oh no, thanks. I'd love to, but I can barely breath, right now. It was delicious!" Regina smiled gently at the other woman. "But I'd like some more wine, please."

"Alright, thanks." Em smiled back, just as gentle and took her plate to place it over her own. Then she grabbed the bottle and poured some more wine into each of their glasses, before carrying the plates into the kitchen.

"Do you need help?" Regina offered her help, before the other vanished into the kitchen.

"No, I got it." The blonde shouted from the kitchen as she placed the dirty plates into the sink, together with the cutlery.

As soon as Em put the dishes away, she walked back to the dining room, grabbed her own glass of wine, together with the wine bottle, before she walked towards the living room, gesturing to the other woman to follow her. "Henry is such a lucky boy to have you as his mother." She said with a warm smile upon her lips.

"It hasn't been easy.." Regina stated with a soft sigh when she got up of her seat and grabbed her own glass of wine, before she followed the blonde into the living room.

"Do you-have a partner?" The blonde asked, hesitating a little; unsure about whether she should ask or not. But her curiosity was bigger. A soft blush appeared on her cheeks.

"No.. you?" The chief executive officer replied with a soft and low tone of her voice as she took a seat next to the blonde, leaving a small gap between them. Taking a small sip of wine.

"Neither." Em responded right away and moved her gaze to the brunette's. "But I wonder; how come, such a good looking woman like you is single?" A soft smile curling up her lips.

Regina tried to hide the deep blush that was to be seen on her cheeks as she chuckled, before she got a little serious. "I guess I just haven't had the time for a relationship.." With a grin, she glanced back at the blonde who never seemed to avert her eyes from her. "And you're good looking yourself."

Emma couldn't help but to grin as well and blush even more.

"If it wasn't for you, I don't know what would have happened between Henry and me.." Regina said with a serious tone in her voice, before lowering her gaze to her glass of wine that was between her hands.

Em frowned. Letting a soft sigh escape through her lips as she too looked down, before taking a sip of her alcoholic beverage.

"I-I was afraid to lose him.." The older woman proceeded. "Henry has always been the only person I had, after my parents died.." Another soft sigh escaped. "I'm an only child and the person I first fell in love with, got killed.. The others cheated on me.."

"I'm so sorry.. I had no idea.." Emma furrowed her eyebrows softly in concern, before she took a gulp of her wine and setting it onto the coffee table in front of them. "If that comforts you by any chance, I'm an orphan." She offered the other a weak grin. "Never got to meet my parents.. blah blah; tragic story.." The tone in her voice was between shaky and playful. Talking about her past, has always been difficult for her. "I always moved from one foster home to another. Friends? Well, every single one of them have either used me or we've just lost contact.." With a soft purse of her lips she looked back into coffee brown eyes.

"Oh I didn't know.. that's horrible.." Regina, who listened to every word that came out of the young woman's lips, took a sip of her wine, before setting it next to Emma's. "Ever since I became a CEO, my friends kind of distanced from me.." She shrugged nonchalantly. "My relationships have been a disaster as well.. Daniel was the only one who understood me. Who was patient with me.." The brunette crossed her legs.

"I totally understand that.. He was your first love.." Em shifted into a more comfortable position. She rested her right elbow onto the edge of the backrest of the sofa and her head on her hand. Her hazel eyes locked with the dark coffee ones of the older woman. "Henry's father was my first love, I guess..? But apparently I wasn't his and we clearly weren't meant for each other.."

Before the brunette could part her lips open and say something to it, the blonde remembered something.

"Or no.. wait.. there was also that girl." Emma took a sip of her wine, before she set it back onto the table and sat back in her comfortable position and continued talking. "When I was fifteen years old, I used to run away from my foster homes. I went to the park or just got out for a walk. Anyway, someday, I saw her at the bus stop. I clearly remember her wearing that denim jacket, she always wore, every time I saw her. Her hair was put together into a perfect pony tail and there was always that strand of hair, covering one of her dark brown eyes."

Regina looked at the blonde, totally mesmerized as she spoke. Both had never trusted someone so much, to tell them about their past.

The officer looked into the empty as she talked. It was as if she was living these moments again. "I was seated on the steps of the library entrance, across from the bus stop. I stared at her, the whole time, until our eyes met. She smiled at me and I could see her cheeks flush a little as I smiled back at her. But as I finally overcame my shyness and wanted to approach her, her bus came and she was gone.."

Em laughed softly at the memories. "Oh how I wished to meet her again.. And I did! I met her at the supermarket, a few days later. I was so focused on my 'to buy list' in that moment, that I didn't see her coming my way and she probably didn't see me approaching her as well, and we bumped into each other." Swan turned her head a little, just to meet Regina's coffee brown eyes staring at her. "Her dark eyes sparkled beautifully, and that giggle.. Agh, it was a silly crush of mine.."

The chief executive officer's eyebrows furrowed lightly at the whole story that Emma just told her. "Wait.. did you ever get to speak to her? Did you ever get to know her name?" It all sounded so familiar.

"No.. there were always things in our way. Like for example, the bus, or her parents came and she had to go.. Or stuff like that.. So, yeah, we never got to know each other, but casually kept seeing each other once in a while." Emma shrugged softly, before taking the last sip of her wine.

Regina glanced away and placed her own empty glass onto the table. The facial expression of her, was a stunned one. "Oh my.. It was you.." She said quietly to herself; almost whispering.

"What?" The blonde furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she chuckled softly and set her glass onto the coffee table as well.

Regina shifted into a similar position as the blonde she sat before and looked into the hazel eyes of the other. "You-That girl.. You used to wear flannels and jeans. Your blonde hair, partly covered by that grey beanie you always wore.." A faint smile appearing on her face.

"Wait. No way, /you/ were that girl? /That/ girl?!" Emma widened her eyes at Regina's statement while her jaw dropped. How could this be possible?

"Yes." The brunette nodded her head affirmatively while she laughed behind the palm of her hand.

"Wow, I-.." Em shook her head, not quite realizing the fact that they had met in the past. "Why didn't you talk to me?"

"The same reason why you never talked to me. I was shy." A smirk tugged from the corner of the CEO's crimson red lips.

"I can't believe this.." The blonde rubbed her temples and laughed softly.

"Me neither. And now look at us, sharing a son and drinking wine while getting to know each other." Regina stated with a soft grin on her face.

"Crazy.." The younger woman grinned back at her, her dimples were showing.

Suddenly there was a second of a dull silence, before the brunette broke it.

"You know, there's a thing I always wanted to know.." Regina moved a little closer to the blonde. Her voice became softer and quieter. The soft smirk still on her face. Coffee brown eyes moved from hazel ones, to thin pale pink lips.

The other woman gulped softly as she allowed the other woman move closer to her. "And what?.." She said just as quietly and softly. Her eyes moving down to full crimson lips. Sensing that something she always desired for, ever since she saw the brunette, was about to happen..

"What your lips taste like.." Regina whispered, before she leaned in and captured Emma's lips into a tender kiss.

Both women could feel the tension and the warmth in their body increase. Soft lips dancing with each other. An indescribable tickle around their whole body. From the top of their head, to the tip of their toes.

Emma closed her eyes and as she deepened the kiss; wanting it to last a bit more, but the brunette pulled back.

Regina inhaled softly and looked into the other's eyes. Wondering what just went into her. She'd never done that before. To her, it felt so right, but was it wrong?..

The younger woman furrowed her eyebrows lightly in confusion as she looked back into the older woman's eyes. Not quite computing what just happened between them.

The older woman furrowed her eyebrows as well. Suddenly she felt too overwhelmed and ashamed for her feelings and the kiss. "I guess I should go.." She got up from the couch, grabbed her long black coat and on her way out, she whispered ashamed. "I'm sorry.."

"N-No.. why?" Emma looked at her with a worried expression on her face. She got up as well and followed the brunette to the door of her apartment, calling her name as she tried to reach out for her. "Gina.."

Confusion. Insecurity.

Regina had put up her walls, just like Emma. So much had happened in each other's love life. They didn't want to fall in love with someone; afraid that they'd just lose them again.. Didn't want to get their hopes up, just to get them down as quick..

The CEO rushed into her blue Mercedes and sat there for a while, before she drove off. Tears started to stream down her cheeks. Was it desire or was it love that she was feeling for Emma?.. What would their son think about that, if he ever found out?.. So many questions..

Soon, the older woman made it back home. Safe and sound. Just her mascara was all over her face.

"Miss Mills.. Is everything alright?" Henry's babysitter said as she walked to her, with a worried expression on her face. Seeing the messed mascara around her eyes.

"Yes.. I just-I just need to sleep.." Regina shook her head as she frowned; feeling a little dizzy.

"Henry is already asleep.. He took a shower and I made us something to eat." Ruby said as she helped the woman upstairs. "Can I help you with anything?"

"No, dear.. Thank you for everything." The short haired woman offered the young one a soft smile and handed her a fifty dollar bill. "Here you have."

"But-Miss Mills.. This is too much." Ruby pursed her lips softly, thinking that maybe the older woman was a little confused that she handed her a fifty dollar bill and not a twenty one.

"Take it." Regina waved her hand carelessly and put her purse back into her bag, seeing her phone screen light up all the time. New messages incoming.

"Well-Thanks. Have a good night." The young woman smiled softly and walked out of the CEO's room and out of the mansion.

The older woman changed her clothes and put on her pajamas. Removed her messed up make up and finally lied down. Leaving her phone in her bag and resisting the feeling of wanting to check what the blonde had written to her.

She pushed her thoughts away and tried to sleep.

* * *

Not even a few minutes later, after Regina walked out of Emma's apartment, the blonde grabbed her phone and spammed the brunette with messages.

"Regina, please don't worry about what happened." She typed in and sent the first message. "I hope you arrived home, safe." A few minutes later, she sent the second message. "Please reply.." The third message and still no reply from the brunette. "I'm worried.." Em sent a fourth message. "I'm coming over tomorrow. Have a good night.." And the fifth message was her last message for that day.

Worried and confused, the blonde went to bed. Her thoughts overfilling her mind. The feelings. Their past meeting. But most important, the current kiss they shared. Was it the alcohol or was that really Regina's intention?..


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Weak Connection**

The next morning, Emma woke up at 9 AM and the first thought in her mind was Regina, who was already awake and having breakfast by herself, since her son was still in bed. She wanted him to sleep off.

The brunette was also thinking about the blonde. She checked her messages while she sipped her coffee. Her eyebrows furrowed softly after she read them, but she refused to reply. The CEO put her phone away and finished the last bite of food and drunk the last sip of her coffee, before she got up from her seat and refilled her mug, to finally go with it into her office and start with some new paperwork.

Emma got ready for the day. She brewed herself some coffee and prepared some scrambled eggs.

After two hours, Henry got up. He walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, but as he didn't see his mother in there, he looked for her in her office. There he found her seated at her desk and behind her computer. "Good morning, mom."

His mother looked up at him, pulling her secretary glasses down. "Good morning, sweetheart." She offered him a warm smile. "Want me to prepare you some scrambled eggs."

"Sure! Thanks." The young boy said with a bright smile, before he walked into the kitchen.

* * *

About three hours later, Emma finally pulled herself together and called Regina to remind her about the ice-cream meeting with their son.

The older brunette was still seated at her desk, working on her paperwork as her phone, which was next to her mug, started to vibrate. ' _Incoming call from 'Swan'_ ' She just rolled her eyes annoyed and a huff escaped through her nostrils. The woman refused to pick up the call.

From the other side of the call, a light angered hiss escaped. Emma didn't give up yet. She called the other woman two more times, but again, she failed to get connected with Regina and so she texted her. " _I'll be there in twenty minutes._ "

Regina read the message and frowned, before letting herself fall back onto her chair. Only the thought of seeing the blonde in twenty minutes made her whole body feel tingly. "Henry, Emma is coming over in about twenty minutes. Get ready. She's gonna take you out." She shouted out from her office.

"Yay! Where to?" Her son, who was seated in the living room, reading his comic book shouted.

"I don't know." The brunette replied with a nonchalant shrug, although she knew that both were going to the ice-cream parlor, since Emma had told her that, last evening.

Henry put away his comic book and got up from his seat, to walk over to his mother. "Aren't you coming with us?" He asked with a light sad expression on his face as he walked into his mother's office.

"Henry-Sweetheart.. I can't. I have to do some paperwork and sign some documents.." The older woman motioned to the pile of papers that was on the left side of her desk. For now, that was the only good excuse she had. Of course she could take time for them if she wanted to, but she wanted to avoid the other woman, for now.

"Hmm.." The boy lowered his gaze, slightly upset although he already expected this.

"Sorry, sweetheart.. We can go out together some other day, alright?" Regina tried to make it up to him, by offering him a mother-son day.

"With Emma?" The kid asked as a small but warm smile was slowly appearing on his face.

The brunette inhaled deeply at the mention of the blonde's name and looked into the empty for a second, before smiling faintly at her son. "Yeah.."

"Awesome!" His small and warm smile turned into a happy grin.

* * *

Twenty minutes passed and the blonde was already standing at their porch, ringing the doorbell.

Regina walked towards the door and on her way, she started shouting her son's name. "Hen-"

But the boy interrupted his mother as she was calling for him, from downstairs. "Yup! Heard it!" He grabbed his dark blue coat and put it on.

The older woman inhaled deeply, before opening the door. She was so nervous and focused on keeping a straight face, that she didn't even greet the blonde. "Henry's coming." The brunette said with no visible facial expression.

Their gazes met and the tension between them grew again. Without any hesitation, Em brought that certain topic back. "'Gina, I-" She softly shifted from foot to foot out of nervousity as she placed her hands onto her posterior pants pockets.

In the background, the boy was walking down the stairs.

"Not now, Swan." Regina knew immediately what Emma was referring to. But it just wasn't a good time to talk about it.

"Emma!" A happy young male voice called from behind the brunette.

The blonde offered the boy a warm smile as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. "Hey, kid."

"Have fun you two." Regina smiled politely at both of them, before she slowly pushed the door to close it.

But Emma was quick enough to notice it and so she stopped her. "Regina. Wait."

The brunette knitted her eyebrows together, already imagining what the blonde was about to say.

"Where are we going?" Henry asked curiously as he looked up at his biological mother.

"Kid, why don't you wait up in the car? I have to talk to your mom." The young woman said with a soft smile as she ruffled her son's hair.

"No, no you don't. Have fun, sweetheart." Regina added coldly, but somehow with a soft tone in her voice. Then she just waved at her son.

Emma knew how stubborn the brunette could be and besides this, she saw no value in trying to get the CEO to talk with her about the certain happening, in that moment. She gave up and turned around to follow her son's moves and climbed into her VW.

Regina closed the door and with a deep sigh and furrowed eyebrows in distress, the older woman walked back into her office.

"Where are we going?" Henry glanced at his birth mother with a soft smile upon his lips.

"To get us some ice-cream. Sounds good?" The blonde replied, flashing him a gently but small grin.

"Sounds just as perfect!" The boy chuckled softly and looked out of the window as they drove to the parlor.

Soon they arrived to their destination. Once they entered the ice-cream parlor, they took a seat at their favorite table. It was the one in the corner, next to the big window. The waitress approached them and asked them for their order.

As the waitress was back behind the counter, the boy started to talk. "Emma?"

"Yeah?" The young woman arched an eyebrow in curiosity at him.

"Is everything alright between you and my mom?" He tilted his head slightly to the side as he looked deeply in her eyes.

She gulped. "Y-es. Uh.. Why do you ask?" That was definitely not a question that she was expecting.

"Because it didn't seem like that, earlier.." The smart boy simply shrugged. Of course he had noticed the tension between those two.

Emma felt slightly overwhelmed with her son's observation. Such a clever boy. Well, what better excuse to use than work? "Mommy is just a little stressed out because of work, but she'll be fine soon.." She explained. "Don't worry." The young woman tried to comfort her son.

In that instant, the waitress approached them with their orders in her hands.

"Mmm.. look at them!" The biological mother of Henry tried to change the topic, by telling her son how good these ice creams looked.

The boy looked pensive, totally focused in something else but his ice cream.

Emma noticed that her son was somewhere else with his thoughts and not paying attention at her at all. "Henry?"

"I've got an idea!" He snapped with his fingers as a wide grin appeared on his face.

"What idea?" The blonde raised both of her eyebrows in surprise. A slight chuckle escaping her throat.

"We three could go camping next weekend, before my holidays end!" The boy happily outed his idea.

"Camping? That-that isn't a bad idea at all!" Em grinned just as bright. Thinking it might be a perfect way to get the other woman to talk to her and if not, at least she would get to spend time with her and their son.

"Yay! Let's ask mom, later!" He suggested.

After a while, they finished their dessert and drove back home. Happy smiles upon their lips.

Ten minutes later, they arrived to the white mansion. The boy was the first to climb out of the yellow bug. He ran to the door and ringed the door bell.

Regina, who was in her office like always, heard the loud noise of the door bell and immediately walked over to open the door and welcome her son back.

As soon as the brunette had opened the door, the boy spoke with a thrilled and loud voice. "Mom! Emma wants to ask you something." Then he quickly glanced at Emma, before he rushed into the house.

The blonde, who was standing with her hands placed into her posterior pants pockets, claimed. "That wasn't the deal, kid!"

With furrowed eyebrows in confusion, the older woman glared at the blonde. "What is it?" She asked with a rather serious tone in her voice. "You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No.. Of course not." Em knew right away, what Regina was referring to. Certainly, she didn't tell their son about their kiss! "He got the idea-" The younger woman proceeded with a small shrug of her shoulders. "Well, his holidays are ending and he wants us to go camping next weekend." She moved her gaze back up to her, in a slight shy way. "All three of us." She added.

Regina already shook her head. Her eyebrows raised lightly in thought. "I-I would love to, but I can't.." A soft sigh swooshed out of her full lips. "I can't, I'm sorry. I've got plenty of work to do. The new collection is coming out, which means I'll be working throughout the weekend.." The lightly raised brows of hers, furrowed softly at the sight of the blonde's reaction.

"Of course." Em nodded slowly. Her eyes moving down to the floor. The young woman was clearly upset about it, but what was to do? It was the work, which was in the way, once again..

"But you two could go." The CEO suggested with the softest tone of her voice as she looked at Emma.

"Because it'll be the same without you.." The blonde mumbled quietly to herself; thinking out loud as she rolled her eyes slightly annoyed.

"Excuse me?" Regina furrowed her perfect manicured eyebrows in confusion at Em's statement.

"Uh, yeah." Emma's cheeks flushed within a second. "I mean, yes. Just Henry and me.." She realized she had thought out loud, like she sometimes does.

"Alright.." The brunette pursed her lips for a second. "I have to go back to my office.."

"Okay, yeah sure.." The officer nodded her head once, offering the other woman a small and short smile. "Bye."

Regina moistened her lips, before saying goodbye to the other mother of her son. "Bye." And with that, she closed the white main door of the mansion.

* * *

A week passed by. It was finally Friday. The day, where Henry and Emma would go camping for a whole weekend. Again, both mothers hadn't talked in that little while. As the older one decided to avoid the other, the younger one gave her some space. But no matter how hard Regina tried to push her feelings away, they just became stronger. Slowly developing into more than a crush. More than infatuation..

It was 11:30 AM and the officer was already standing on the Mills' porch, with a warm smile tugged from the corners of her lips.

"Emma!" The young male familiar voice shouted while the door opened. Henry smiled widely and moved closer to the blonde, to greet her with a hug.

"Got everything packed, kid?" The young mother asked as she gave him a gentle squeeze in the hug, before pulling back.

"Yes! You?" Henry nodded his head vigorously; very thrilled about their camping weekend.

"I got everything." Em replied as she ruffled her son's brown hair.

In the background, there was a clacking of shoes. It was Regina walking towards them. "Hey." She greeted Emma with a gentle nod.

"Hi." The blonde greeted back. Her eyes scanning the slim curves of the CEO, that her dress was intonating.

"Henry, did you pack a blanket in case it gets cold?" The brunette mother asked.

"Oops, no. I forgot.." Henry frowned softly, making a face.

"Don't worry. I packed like two or three!" Emma patted his shoulder gently as she smiled down at him.

"Great!" He smiled back at her. A quick glance to both of them, before he grabbed his bags. "I'm placing my stuff in the car, be right back!"

"Need some help?" The officer asked as she watched him pick up his bags.

"Got it! Thanks!" The little man said with a grin on his face. Then he looked at his adoptive mother and placed a lovingly kiss onto her right cheek. "Bye, mom."

"Goodbye, my baby boy. You be good, alright?" She placed a kiss on top of his head, before giving his cheek a soft, affectionately and short caress.

"Always." The boy assured with a soft nod of his head, before he turned around and carried his bags to the parked yellow bug.

"Bye." Regina said quickly to Emma.

"Gina.." Em said hesitantly. No, this time she wouldn't bring up the sensitive topic.

"Yes?.." The brunette said a little unsure.

"Good luck." The younger woman smiled warm but softly at the other one.

"Thanks." Regina smiled back at her, just as warm and soft.

"Bye.." Em wished the brunette would join them in that last second, but again that was just a wish..

"Bye." Regina waved at her son who was waving at her, from inside the vehicle.

* * *

"This is the first time that I go camping!" Henry stated as the blonde climbed into her bug and buckled up.

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow at him in surprise.

"Have you ever been camping?" He asked with a lot of curiosity in his voice.

"I did. Yes, but that again, was a few years ago." Emma said with a soft chuckle which slowly faded. She started the engine and drove off.

"Did you go with friends or your school?" The boy kept asking. Looking at her while he did.

"With-.." Her facial features softened at the thought. She couldn't get her answer out. How could she? After all, it was her son she was talking to..

"With?" The tone in his voice sounded confused. He tilted his head slightly to the side and no matter what, he didn't avert his gaze from her.

"With a friend.." Emma said quickly. She knew this moment would come soon or later, but was she ready for it?

"Just you two?" Henry smiled softly.

"Yes." She inhaled deeply, hoping the boy would just stop with these questions.

"Was that your boyfriend?" But he kept asking, like all kids do, because they're curious.

Em furrowed her eyebrows and tried to focus on the road. Now it was the time. To lie or to say the truth? She chose to say the truth, even if it was hard.. "That was your dad, Henry.."

"My-my dad?" The young boy furrowed his eyebrows for a second. That was the moment, where he looked away. He looked out of the window. The passing cars distracted him from wanting to get emotional with this topic. In all these months that had passed, the boy wondered why his father never asked for him, but he never asked his biological mother.

"Yes." Emma already regretted to have said the truth. She gave a quick glance to her son and let a soft sigh escape through her lips.

"What happened to him? Are you still together with him? Where is he now and why did he never ask about me, how I was doing?" The boy asked with furrowed eyebrows as he looked at the blonde.

"We are not together anymore. He-.." Em inhaled deeply. She hated to talk about her past and the fact that it had to do with her son, wasn't making it any easier.

"He what, Emma?.. Is he-Is he dead?" The tone of his voice changed from serious to slight concerned.

"No. At least not that I know." Emma shook her head. Of course she hoped that the man she used to love, was still alive. Not for her, but for himself and for their son.

"What is it then?" Henry frowned softly.

"He left us. I was 3 weeks pregnant when he was gone. He didn't know about you as well as I didn't, back then.." Emma felt the lump in her throat, causing a specific kind of pain. "We went camping for a week and on a Sunday morning, I woke up to a piece of paper next to me; saying 'Sorry'.. I looked for him everywhere nearby our camping place, but I couldn't find him.. Everything was there, even the car, except his bag." She gulped. Trying to not let the scenes picture up in her mind. "I packed everything and drove back to my apartment. About two weeks later, I found out I was pregnant with you.." The blonde smiled weakly at her son.

"So.. he never came back?" Her son said with a soft tone in his voice.

Emma just shook her head while her eyes were focused on the road.

"And did you try to contact him?" The boy continued with his question.

"I did, but apparently he wasn't even in town anymore.." She shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes still focused on the highway.

"What if he's still alive? You two could-" Henry tilted his head to the side once again.

And before the boy could finish his sentence, Emma interrupted him. She clenched and unclenched her teeth, before she replied to her son. "And even if he is, Henry, there is no way I'm coming back together with him, ever." She noticed that the tone in her voice was to harsh. "Kid.."

"You don't want him back?" The boy pursed his lips.

"I don't." Em sighed deeply. Slowly getting annoyed by all these questions.

"Why not?"

Emma couldn't help but to roll her eyes in annoyance. "Because I got really hurt, back then. I don't have feelings for him anymore."

"Do you have feelings for someone else?" The boy spoke his last question for now. A soft smirk curling up his lips.

It was then, when Emma blushed. Such a question coming out of her son's mouth. "Kid.. this whole conversation is too complicated and besides, you're too young to understand all this."

"Sorry.." Henry looked down and exhaled softly.

"For what?" She moved her gaze to him for a second.

"For asking a lot.." He shrugged.

"It's okay, Hen.. You're just curious, I know.." Emma stretched her right arm and playfully ruffled the boy's hair as a gentle smile was showing on her face. "But you know what?"

"What?" The young boy asked as he looked at her with a soft smile.

"We're going to have the best camping weekend ever,-" Emma said with a more happy tone in her voice. "-even if your mom had to stay at home.." She added with a slight sad smile.

"But we could take pictures and make videos for her! That will give her the feeling that she was with us!" There he was, the smart boy dropping one of his amazing ideas.

"You're right! That's a fantastic idea, kid!" Em smiled proudly. Indeed that would give Regina the feeling that she was with them.

Hours later, they finally arrived to the camping place. It had a small river, which parted the not so big forest, nice spots to start a campfire and a very nice view.

Minutes later, both of them started to build the tent. Emma taught her son how to make a fire. In the night, they roasted some marshmallows that the blonde had packed and made some delicious s'mores.

* * *

On Saturday afternoon, Regina was at a fashion show. In the break of the event, she decided to give the blonde a quick call, just to check on them. She went to the ladies restroom and dialed Swan's number. Nervously she awaited for the other to pick up.

At the other end of the call, Emma was preparing the sausages and steaks that she and her son were going to have for lunch, as her phone started to ring. She furrowed her eyebrows as she wondered who it could be, when she clearly told her boss that she was going on a camping weekend with her son. The officer picked up the call, without looking at the ID. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me. Just wanted to check on you guys." Regina said as she leaned against the sink and played with the chain of her purse.

Emma's heartbeat quickened instantly as she heard /her/ voice. "We're doing good." And a cheesy smile appeared on her face.

The boy noticed that it was his other mother, that Emma was talking to. "Mom! I learnt how to do fire!" He shouted in the background.

"Henry wants you to know that he learnt how to do a fi-re-.." The blonde repeated. And there, the connection started to act up. Either Emma or Regina was having some technical difficulties.

"I-lo-ve-you-m-om-.." Henry shouted again, thinking that the CEO would hear it.

"Emma, I think the connection is breaking, what did he say?" Regina asked as she covered her free ear with her index and tried to focus on what Em would say.

"H-e-s-ai-d-I lo-ve yo-u!" The officer repeated, but what she said was barely understandable.

"Emma? ...Hello?... What?" The concerned woman moved around; from a corner to another, until she got to hear the blonde.

"I /love/ you!" Em shouted into the phone. Actually repeating what her son had said to her.

"Uh.. I-" Regina was pretty surprised by the way Emma 'declared' her feelings towards her. But she also thought it was a damn good time to eventually say what she felt, too. "I love you too!" She shouted back. A dark shade of pink was visible on her cheeks and her heart felt as if it was about to jump out of her throat at any second. She did it - She said it.

But there was an unexpected awkward and silent moment after the brunette spoke these certain words. Just the breathing noise of Emma was to be heard. And Regina just stood there, biting her lower lip while she held her breath for a short moment. Her eyes; wide open in expectancy.

On the other side of the call, Emma had her jaw dropped; totally speechless. She scratched the back of her neck out of confusion. She wasn't sure whether she had heard right or not. "What?"

Henry was too focused on keeping the fire alive, that he didn't pay attention to her mother's words.

The older woman cursed in her head. Thinking it was a very stupid move of hers. How could she release her inner teenager? With a deep breath, she regained her composure and the CEO was back. "Just tell him that I love him too!" With that sentence, she saved herself from the situation.

Then Em realized that Regina had said that because she misunderstood her and that probably her shyness overtook her, so that's why she changed the meaning, at the end. "Uh.. Alright. Okay." She gulped. The tone in her voice sounded slight upset.

"See you guys tomorrow. Bye." Regina said quickly. Closing her eyes tightly after hanging up the call.

What was all this about?!.. Both women wondered. All this was weird and they knew they couldn't keep avoiding each other, just to wait up and let another thing happen. They knew they had to talk about all of it someday, but when? When was the right time?..


	8. Chapter 8

**A Wish - Chapter 8: Confession**

After the recent phone call, that both women had, they couldn't get each other's words out of their head and so they went to bed with these thoughts.

The young woman thought that there wasn't a better timing than the day after, to confess her feelings to the person she had fallen in love with.

With a deep and happy sigh, the blonde went to sleep. Snuggling her son, who was already asleep, close to her.

The next day, mother and son woke up and had a good brunch, before they packed their things together to go back home. Hours later, they were back in the tumultuous place. The peaceful forest was way behind them now.

"Hurry, Emma.." Henry said, almost whining as he tried to hold back his necessities.

"..kid.. I told you not to drink the whole bottle of water, before we drove off, didn't I?.. Well, now you have to wait, we are almost there.." Emma kind of scolded at the boy. She had warned him, but the stubborn child had to finish the whole bottle.

Minutes later, they arrived back to the familiar white mansion. As soon as the yellow VW was parked at the Mills' parking spot, the boy climbed out of the vehicle as fast as possible.

Emma grabbed his bags and carried them for him to the porch, where he was already waiting for his adoptive mother to open up.

Regina was signing the last papers for now, when she heard the desperate ringing of her door bell. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Coming!" She yelled as she quickly walked to the door.

Once the door was opened, Henry rushed into the mansion, on his way to the bathroom.

"Hey-" The brunette's soft smile slowly vanished and turned into a surprised look, when she saw her son run past her without even greeting her.

"He needs to do number one.." Emma said with a sheepish soft chuckle, trying to reassure the older woman, so she wouldn't think it's something personal.

"Oh. Okay." Regina couldn't help but to join the blonde's chuckle.

After a second-long pause between them, Em decided to break the silence. "It was amazing, but you were missing.." She stated with a soft smile. Her cheeks already started to flush.

"I-I couldn't come with you guys.. I've been busy throughout the weekend.." Regina said with a soft frown. "See, later I have to attend to a fashion show.." She explained.

"I understand." Emma nodded her head once while she pursed her lips.

"Well, thank you for taking care of him." The brunette said with a tender tone in her voice.

"No need to thank, he's my son too, after all." The officer chuckled once again.

The CEO offered the blonde a gentle smile as she inhaled softly and against her will, she slowly stepped back to go back into her house. "Have a nice rest of the day." She stated, although she wished to at least keep talking to the other woman, but she knew it would end in an awkward situation again.

Again, the young woman was fast enough to stop the brunette from closing the door. "Regina, there's something I'd like to tell you.." She said with a serious but soft tone in her voice.

"Emma.." Like always, Regina tried to avoid this moment. But this time, it didn't work.

"I just don't know how.. I mean,.. We have so much in common. We both have been through a lot. Alone when we were young." The blonde continued. Ignoring the fact that the older woman didn't want to talk about this, just because she feared love. It was a thing, wich had to be spoken now or never.

Her heartbeat quickened. She only hoped to not mess this up.

Regina was speechless. Listening attentive to the other's words as she looked into her hazel eyes.

"You-you are my home. It is in your loving gaze that I find the comfort, acceptance and the sense of belonging." Emma started to get emotional with all this talking. "Regina, our happy ending may not be what we expect it to be, but that is what makes it so special. And somehow that makes us, I don't know, unique." The silence of the brunette only made her more nervous. "I thought that it could be possible that you-" She stopped herself from talking, because she couldn't get the word out.

"That I agree with you? That I feel the same way for you?" It was then, when Regina finished the other's sentence. A soft sound escaped her lips, not a sigh or a laugh, but still an acknowledgement.

"Agh.. you know-just forget it.." Emma felt like an idiot, coming out to the other mother of his son. Declaring her feelings for her. "I'm just gonna go.." She simply shook her head. Leaving Henry's bags on the floor, before she turned around to walk back to her bug.

"No. Wait, Emma." Regina reacted quick enough, to stop the blonde by the arm.

The officer turned around to face her, licking her lips and furrowing her eyebrows in confusion as she did.

"I feel the same way about you. I don't know. Ever since we met, I've got that weird feeling that-" Now Regina was the one, feeling like an idiot for talking the truth. "-this might sound silly, but I've got that feeling that we belong together, that we are meant for each other.." A shy chuckle escaped her throat.

"You do?" Hope and joy sparkled in Emma's eyes at the positive response of Regina. The tone in her voice sounded slight high pitched between shaky and over the moon.

"I do." Regina confirmed with a firm nod of her head. A loving smirk tugging from one corner of her lips.

Emma moved closer, their lips were now one breath away. Both looked into each others eyes and lips. It didn't take more than two seconds, before their soft lips melted into a heated kiss. One of Em's hands moved to Regina's lower back, to pull her closer to her, while her tongue searched for hers; deepening the kiss. The other hand, she used to cup the brunette's cheek. Caressing it in circles, with her thumb. Regina wrapped her arms around Swan's neck and a little and soft moan escaped into the passionate and heated kiss, once her tongue brushed against Emma's.

A long lasting kiss. Warm bodies. Wild racing hearts. Love & Happiness.

As they pulled back from the kiss, but not from each other's arms, they looked into each other's eyes. Regina couldn't help but to giggle at the way Emma's lips looked; all smeared with crimson red lipstick. Her own smeared as well. Gently she brushed the color off of Swan's lips, with her thumb.

"So.." Em smirked.

"So?" The other questioned with a smirk of her own.

"Are we gonna keep this a secret from Henry?" The blonde asked with a slight tilt of her head. Never breaking the eye contact with her lover.

"I don't know.. Do you think he will take it well?" Regina said with a light insecurity.

"Yes, I think so. We could just tell him and see his reaction or just let him wonder and maybe someday soon he'll come to us and ask us about it?.." The blonde suggested with a grin and a small shrug.

"Hmm.. I think we should tell him." Regina said with a small but fond smile.

"Then we shall!" Emma laughed softly, placing an affectionately kiss on the CEO's full lips, before both walked into the mansion.

* * *

 _And there was that someone that came along one day and offered her an entire galaxy, when she only expected a single planet._

 _..._

* * *

 _ **The red string of fate:**_

 _"Also referred to as the red thread of destiny, red thread of fate, and other variants, is an East Asian belief originating from Chinese legend and is also used in Japanese legend._

 _According to this myth, the gods tie an invisible red string around the little fingers of those that are destined lovers and soul mates; regardless of time, place, or circumstances. They'll meet one another in a certain situation or help each other in a certain way and one day even marry each other. This magical cord may stretch or tangle, but never break."_


End file.
